


First Impressions

by tennantmeister



Series: FiVerse [1]
Category: Blackpool, Doctor Who, Torchwood
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Crossover, F/M, Pete's World, Teninch Fic, tenth doctor - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-17
Updated: 2014-03-17
Packaged: 2018-02-21 11:36:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 68,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2466797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tennantmeister/pseuds/tennantmeister
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Doctor Who/Torchwood/Blackpool crossover originally posted on teaspoon - When the dimension cannon project fails, Rose is left leading the Cardiff Torchwood team in Pete's World. Just when she thought being stuck couldn't get much worse, her newest team member is a daily reminder of her home universe. Peter Carlisle is a carbon copy of her Doctor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_"And I suppose... if it's my last chance to say it..."_

  Rose took a sharp intake of air and blew it out through her mouth as the Doctor spoke. The hot tears filled her eyes and spilled over onto her cheeks, burning a trail down her face before dripping from her chin. All the time they spent together traveling in the TARDIS, every moment, was swirling in her memory as she waited for him to finally say the words. Words she had imagined him saying so many times before. Then. Not now. Not while they were separated by universes. Not when she couldn't even reach for his hand as he continued _"Rose Tyler,"_

His image faded.  

The Doctor was gone.  

Forever.

  Rose wrapped her arms around herself tightly as she struggled to keep her balance. He was really gone. He didn't even say what she had wanted to hear. What she desperately needed to hear. Grief consumed her as she sobbed uncontrollably. Then suddenly the earth shook and the sky darkened. Rose fell to the ground as it trembled below her feet. She looked over her shoulder at Mickey, Pete, and her mum. She thought to cry out for them as the earth began to split. The ground was cracking open all around her in a massive earthquake. An earthquake that just swallowed their vehicle whole. Rose tried to scream as she felt herself slipping into a fracture below. She cried out with all she had as she began to fall deeper. Then everything went black. She was dropping swiftly into the abyss with no way out. Rose allowed her head to drop back, closed her eyes, and gave into the fall. There was no point in trying to fight it. As her tears continued to stain her face, she spoke one word. "Doctor."

  Rose sat straight up and gasped for air. She wiped a stray piece of sweat soaked hair from her face as she began to take in her surroundings. The faint moonlight streaming in through the window allowed her to see she was safe in her bed. Not on Bad Wolf Bay. Not on the worst day of her life. It was just the nightmare. Again. The same tragic dream she'd had so many times before. It would begin as a memory. Reliving the most devastating moment of her life when the Doctor had spoken his final words to her. Then it always ended with the ground swallowing her. Shaking her head as if to rid her mind of any lingering images if her nightmare, she pushed back the duvet and got out of bed. She glanced at the clock on her way to the en suite to see that it was 4:52am. There was no point in trying to go back to sleep. Her head was filled with thoughts of that blasted beach and her alarm was set to wake her in an hour anyway.  

Rose stared at her reflection in the mirror. She looked as knackered as she felt. Not just from her fitful sleep, but also as a result of the extra hours she had put in at Torchwood over the past 19 months. All of her time spent trying to find a way back home. Back to the Doctor. Time that had been wasted. Their last attempt with the dimension cannon had taken the life of one of her team.. No, not just a team member... her friend. Since arriving in this universe four years ago, Jake had become one of her best mates. Now it was all over. She was stuck here in Pete's World.

  The floor was cold beneath her bare feet as Rose walked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. She took a long drink and relaxed as the cool liquid slid down her throat. Leaning back against the counter, she sighed as her eyes drifted shut. They snapped open as quickly as they had closed and a shiver coursed through her body. It had been nearly three months since Jake's death. Rose wondered if she would ever be able to close her eyes without seeing the explosion that cost him his life. Her heart ached as she placed a hand on her chest and clenched a fist full of her shirt. She wondered if she would ever be able to feel the rhythm of her heartbeat without seeing the Doctor's face. Without hearing him speak his last words to her. _Probably not._

Since sleeping was now certainly out of the question, Rose decided to get a head start on work. She sank into her favorite over-stuffed chair and opened her laptop. She pulled up her work email and saw that she had two unread messages. One was from Mickey reminding her that she had promised to have lunch with him today. Just the two of them, away from the hub, no excuses. He was right to insist. She and Mickey hadn't spent much down time together since Jake's death. They had both been mourning the loss of their friend in their own way. It was time for them to talk about it. It was the only way they would ever begin to move on. The second email was from Pete informing her that, per her request, he had hired an agent to fill the vacancy on her team.  

Pete had decided three weeks prior that Jake's position needed to be filled. He narrowed his list down to five possible candidates and had asked Rose to help him choose. She had appreciated her stepfather offering to include her in the decision making, but declined. She did not relish the thought of bringing on a new team member. The last thing she wanted to do was replace Jake. Instead, she asked Pete to make the final choice without her. She trusted his judgment as director of Torchwood. Her only request was that the new agent have investigative experience. Frankly, she just didn't have it in her to train another green behind the gills agent. Between losing Jake and being faced with the fact that despite all her efforts she would never return to the Doctor, Rose could only just deal with the day to day pressures of her job. Babysitting a newbie was a headache she just really couldn't do right now. This agent needed to be someone who required little to no hand holding. Fortunately, Pete completely understood her reasons for making such a request. His email now explained that the man he'd hired had worked as a detective inspector in Scotland for several years. Judging by his case history, he was very good at his job.  

Rose pointed and clicked the attachment to download his personal file. Peter Carlisle. He was 37 years old, unmarried, and more than willing to relocate to Cardiff for a position at Torchwood. As her eyes scanned the information before her, Rose nodded in agreement. He certainly looked good on paper and he wasn't some fresh young kid that she would have to constantly watch over. She scrolled down to the second page, looking to see the photograph of Peter Carlisle attached to his file.  

**BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP**

  She nearly jumped out of her skin and fought to stop herself from dropping her laptop... _the bloody alarm clock!_ Rose had forgotten to turn it off when she'd gotten out of bed. The blaring noise cut through the silence of her flat and startled her. She closed her laptop and sat it on the coffee table. It was time to get ready for work and face the day ahead. Rose would just have to wait until she arrived at Torchwood in an hour and a half to see her new team member in the flesh.  

oOo  

Peter was late. Well, maybe not late but later than he would like to be on the first day of a new job. Especially considering that new job was as a field agent for a top secret government agency. He had applied for a position with Torchwood the previous year knowing that it could take months or years for an opening to become available. At the time, he had hoped for a job offer sooner than later. After working a case in Blackpool that eventually left him not only questioning his moral compass but also nursing a broken heart, Peter was in desperate need for a change. So when he received a call from the Torchwood human resources office six weeks ago, he was prepared to jump through whatever hoops were necessary to get the job. When he finally met with Pete Tyler two weeks ago and was offered the job, Peter felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. Even though some of the particulars of his new job description left him feeling more than a bit nervous, he welcomed the chance to start fresh. A new job, a new town, a new life.  

It wasn't until yesterday that he had received an email from Director Tyler with further instructions for reporting to work the following morning that he was given the name of his immediate supervisor. Rose Tyler. _Rose Tyler?_ Surely not the same Rose Tyler who graced the cover of every tabloid that had gone to print for the past four years. As the daughter of Pete Tyler and known to the general public as Vitex heiress, she was the paparazzi's favorite celebrity. Peter wasn't the type to read gossip rags but he had certainly heard a lot about her. Not one thing he had heard or seen of her would have given the impression that she could work as a Torchwood field agent. Not to mention lead her own team of agents. He began to wonder if taking this job at Torchwood was a mistake. Could he really work for her? It was painfully obvious to him that she only held her position because of who her father was. How was this so obvious? He had googled her. Yes, he had resorted to mild Internet stalking to learn more about Rose Tyler. She seemed to be exactly what you'd expect a child of privilege to be. There were photographs of her at all the high profile events. Always clad in a designer dress, always posing for the paps, always completely and utterly gorgeous. Breathtakingly beautiful. There was no way he could take this job.  

Sleep was elusive as Peter weighed the pros and cons a million times as he lie awake in bed. None of the pros even mattered when he considered one major con: Rose Tyler was stunning. After he had come so close to mucking everything up in Blackpool for the sake of a beautiful woman, he didn't trust himself anymore. Peter finally drifted off to sleep only to be awoken by his alarm three hours later. He stayed in bed staring at the ceiling for what felt like an eternity. _Sod it!_ He was a grown man perfectly capable of having a professional relationship with a pretty girl. The chances of her actually going out into the field and actively participating in the work involved with solving a case were very slim. She was too polished for that. Peter could certainly handle this for the sake of a coveted position at Torchwood. Blackpool had been an isolated incident. He would never let his attraction to a woman interfere with work in such a way again. He needed this job.  

Looking at the clock, Peter sighed in frustration. He had less than an hour to get ready and report for duty. He quickly showered and decided to skip shaving. Scrubbing the towel over his wet hair, he walked to the wardrobe and pulled out black trousers, a black tee shirt, and a black jumper. He pulled the laces tight on his black hiking boots before tying them and leaning against the back of the kitchen chair. Peter rubbed both hands over his face and then ruffled his hair he sat there heavily. It had been a long night and now he was starving. He had planned on stopping for coffee and pastries on his way to work but now, because he had spent so much of the morning debating whether or not he really wanted to go in, it was too late. He grabbed an apple out of the bowl that sat in the middle of his table and headed out the door. Fortunately his flat was only a fifteen minute walk from the Torchwood hub. There was a slight chill in the morning air as he made his way there. Peter stopped just outside the door of the old warehouse that was now his new place of employment. He gave the building an appraising look and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he reached for the door. This was exactly what he'd wanted. A chance for a fresh start. He was as prepared for this adventure as he ever would be. Even if Rose Tyler turned out to be as staggeringly beautiful as in her photographs.... _he was ready._   

oOo  

 

Mickey swiveled from left to right as he sat with his head back, eyes closed, and hands clasped in his lap. He was nearly rocking himself to sleep. Not that it would take much effort these days. He wasn't getting much sleep at night. Ever since things had gone pear shaped with the dimension cannon. Ever since Jake had died in the explosion. He and Jake had become flat mates as soon as he had decided to stay in this universe. Jake had not only been a proper mate, he had been the closest thing to a brother Mickey had ever had. He missed him. He also missed Rose. Although physically she hadn't left, she seemed so far removed in every other sense. He understood how devastating it was for her to realize the dimension canon would never work and she would never see the Doctor again. Still it was hard for him to watch her hurting and not be able to help. He sat up and looked at his watch. It was 5:08 am and even though he had been at the hub for half an hour already, it was still too early to call and wake Rose. Mickey decided instead to send her an email to remind her they had plans to have lunch together. Then he opened the email Pete had sent him the evening before about their new field agent. He read over the attached file again and looked at Peter Carlisle's picture. Mickey was still as surprised as the first time he saw the photograph. The man _really did_ look like the Doctor. Apparently Pete hadn't even noticed the resemblance. He'd only seen the Doctor a couple of times, both of which were life threatening situations, so it was understandable. Mickey, however, saw it immediately. He checked the delivery status of the email again and noticed Rose still had not opened her copy. He wondered if she would do so before coming into work today. Crossing his arms at his chest, he leaned back into his chair with a sigh. Maybe it was just this particular photograph. Maybe Peter Carlisle wouldn't look so much like the Doctor in person. Maybe, just maybe, Carlisle would get along famously with everyone and a sense of normalcy could return to their lives in Cardiff.  

Mickey decided to pop out for breakfast before the rest of the Torchwood team began to arrive. He walked to the bakery and bought plenty of pastries for everyone. Once he was back inside, he started a pot of coffee and sank down onto the couch in the break room of the hub. He was just beginning to doze when he heard the voices of Toshiko Sato and Ianto Jones echoing in the hallway. The pair walked into the break room just as Mickey stood from the couch.  

"I hope you're hungry cos I've got breakfast for everyone," he said as he jerked his head toward the open box in the middle of the table.  

"Thanks, mate!" Ianto smiled.

  "Yeah thanks, I'm starving," Tosh chirped as she brushed past the men to eye the box of pastries.  

Mickey grabbed some mugs from the cupboard and began pouring the freshly brewed coffee. "Don't mention it. I've been here for a while already. The new field agent starts today. He'll probably be here any minute. I'm gonna take this to my desk and get some training materials ready. Just be sure to save some for Rose." He grabbed a pastry for himself and walked out of the break room toward his desk.  

He had only taken five steps in that direction when he heard a man clear his throat. Mickey turned around to find Peter Carlisle standing behind him. From where he stood, nearly six meters away, Carlisle didn't look so much like the Doctor. Then, when he spoke, he _definitely_ did not sound like the Doctor.

  Peter took a few steps closer before he introduced himself. "Erm... hullo. I'm Peter Carlisle," he said as he extended his hand. "I believe I'm to ask for Rose Tyler." As he approached the man holding coffee in one hand and a pastry in the other, he noticed he looked stunned. "Sorry. I'm the new field agent." Peter pulled back his extended hand and ruffled his hair. "Weren't ye expecting me?"  

Mickey was wrong. The closer Peter got, the more he looked like the Doctor. He wasn't an exact copy but he could certainly pass as his brother... maybe even his twin. His face was scruffier, clothes less tailored, and his hair wasn't as unruly but he looked so much like him. The Scottish brogue was definitely wrong, but it was all still enough to leave Mickey gobsmacked for the moment. He shook the dazed look from his face and finally spoke.  

"Yeah... uh... sorry, mate..." Mickey fumbled with his breakfast and held his pastry on top of his coffee mug with one hand. He stretched out his other hand to shake Peter's. "Name's Mickey. Mickey Smith. 'M sort of Rose's right hand. She's not here just yet but she'll be here any second now." He couldn't keep from staring at the man in front of him. How had they managed to find the one man in this universe who looked just like the Doctor and hire him as a Torchwood field agent? It was then that Mickey realized he was still steadily shaking Peter's hand. He jerked his hand back with a start. "Blimey! Sorry again. You just look a lot like a bloke I used to know. Threw me off just for a tick... bit of a shock. Like I said, Rose should be..."  

"Rose should be what?" Peter heard a woman's voice just behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and then did a double take as he saw Rose Tyler standing just two feet away. She looked different from the pictures Google had retrieved for him the night before. Less makeup, hair seemed to be a darker blonde, and her all black attire was standard for Torchwood... but it was most definitely her. First impression: She was even more beautiful than he had imagined. _Bloody hell._

As the man in front of her turned his face in her direction, Rose felt every muscle in her body freeze. _It was him! No... it wasn't... but who? How? Was he talking? Yes. What was he saying? His name? Was he introducing himself? Peter Carlisle. Wait... Peter Carlisle?_ Her mind was reeling, her mouth suddenly went dry, and she wasn't sure but she thought her knees might buckle. This was Peter Carlisle, her new field agent, but he looked just like the Doctor. The universe had a blooming cruel sense of humor. First impression: The accent was wrong and he needed a shave. _Bloody hell._


	2. Chapter 2

Suddenly Peter realized he was staring at Rose with his mouth agape. He quickly gathered his wits and introduced himself. "Aye, you must be Miss Tyler. I'm Peter Carlisle, yer new field agent," he said with a wide grin on his face, and extended his hand to greet her. She didn't return the gesture. She stood there, frozen, looking even more confused than Mickey had upon Peter's arrival. 

 "'M sorry! Yeah... Peter? Nice to meet you. 'M Rose. Sorry but you look..." 

 "Like someone ye used to know. Aye, et's not the first time I've been told that today." He glanced back at Mickey and winked as Rose, seemingly reluctantly, shook his hand. He could sense that she was uncomfortable but decided to ignore it. "Mickey beat ye to it. S'pose he was a handsome devil, eh? This bloke that reminds ye of me?"  

Rose tried not to notice the tingle that began in her palm and sent tremors throughout her body as she shook Peter's hand. She pulled her hand back quickly and shoved both fists into her pockets. He was trying to make a joke. Trying to lighten the mood. He really wasn't very funny. Not funny at all. In fact, nothing about this situation was amusing as far as Rose was concerned. She had spent nearly two years trying to get back home. Back to her universe and to the love of her life. Only to tragically discover it would never happen - a discovery which resulted in an explosion that took the life of her friend. And now here he was, the Doctor's doppelgänger, coming to work at her hub. A daily reminder of the man she would never see again. No, it was certainly **_not_** funny.  

"Uh... yeah. I guess so," she replied as she tried to compose herself. "Right. So you've met Mickey then? That's good. Mickey will show you around the hub. Introduce you to the others. Won't you, Micks?" She gave Mickey a pleading look and he nodded. Rose looked back at Peter for only a second before turning her gaze to somewhere just to the left of his face. "Great! At the mo we aren't working on any cases. Can be a bit boring, days like this, but it's good for you cos there's a few orientation DVDs. You'll have plenty of time to watch them today. So if you'll just go with Mickey he can get you sorted. If anyone needs me, I'll be in my office." Rose gave Mickey a stiff smile and a nod, then turned on her heels and hurried off without another look in Peter's direction.  

"Aye, thanks. Et's a pleasure to meet ye." Peter nearly yelled his reply as Rose was practically sprinting away from him. He turned back to Mickey and arched an eyebrow. "This mystery bloke... I'm guessing they weren't exactly friends. Am I right?" 

 "Long story, mate. And even if it wasn't, I still wouldn't feel like tellin’ it." Mickey sighed. "She's right, though. Not much excitement today, so I’m going to get you started on the usual orientation stuff, yeah? First, there's a couple of people you should meet. Owen's not here yet but I'll introduce you to Tosh and Ianto. And there's breakfast if you're hungry." He led Peter to the break room but glanced in the direction of Rose's office. As soon as Peter was settled into a room with enough orientation DVDs to keep him entertained until lunch time, Mickey would have to check up on her.  

"Aye, I'm always hungry!" Peter replied with a smile and followed Mickey to the break room. Rose's less than enthusiastic welcome tugged at the back of his mind but he tried to ignore it. He reminded himself that she most likely wouldn't be involved with any field work. Which meant he wouldn't have to work very closely with her at all. The Vitex heiress, daughter of The Director of Torchwood, was merely an example of nepotism at it's finest, Peter thought. It wouldn't be long before he would discover he was wrong.  

oOo  

Rose walked as quickly as she could without her pace actually becoming a jog. She needed to put distance between her and Peter Carlisle as soon as possible. Preferably before her emotions took over and the unshed tears that had now formed in her eyes began to fall. _Thank God for Mickey!_ She entered her office, closed the door, and sank down on the sofa as she lost the battle with her tears. They poured down her cheeks but she made no sound. Rose sat there unmoving. Her body was numb and it took all of her concentration to just remember to breathe. Then, with one shuddering breath, she collapsed into a sobbing mess on the arm of her sofa. Why was this happening? And why now? She couldn't work with this man. She couldn't even look at him. Rose slammed her fist into the plush cushion of the sofa. Anger was rushing through her. She was angry at this universe for being the wrong one, angry at herself for failing with the dimension canon, and angry at the Doctor for not finding a way to come back for her. Most of all, she was angry at Peter Carlisle for the way he had grinned at her. It was the Doctor's manic grin. The smile that stretched his face and made the corners of his eyes crinkle. The one she loved so much that she couldn't stop herself from mirroring every single time she saw it. Yet seeing it now, stretching a slightly different face, only made her nauseous.  

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear the knock at her door. "Hey, Babe, it's me. You okay?" Mickey opened the door just enough to lean his head in. "Can I come in?" he asked but he didn't wait for a response. As soon as he laid eyes on Rose with tears streaking her face, he stepped inside and closed the door.  

"Am I just..." Rose began as she wiped away tears and tried to slow her breathing.  

"No, you're not."  

"Does he really..."

  "Yeah, babe. He really, really does." Mickey didn't need her to finish the questions. He knew exactly what she was thinking. They'd known each other since they were kids and right now Rose was thankful for the shorthand they had. She was struggling to form coherent thoughts into words. "But it's not him, Rose," Mickey continued as he sat down beside her and took her into his arms. "Looks almost exactly like him, but it's definitely not him."  

Rose leaned into Mickey's embrace and began to calm down a bit. "Yeah, I know it's not him. Just wasn't expecting it is all. He looks different but the same, you know? Thought I was goin mad for a second. Until he started talkin..."  

"That accent is all wrong comin from that mouth, yeah?" Mickey laughed. Rose laughed just a little too and Mickey gave her a tight squeeze. "It'll be okay, babe. Bit of a shock, I know, but it'll be okay." He pulled back from her just enough to see her face. He kissed her on the forehead and gave her another hug. "Look, I've got some paperwork to catch up on but I'll come 'round for you at half noon, yeah?"  

"Yeah. Thanks, Micks. I'm fine. Just need to clear my head." Rose kissed him on the cheek and he let himself out of her office. She moved to sit in the chair behind her desk and turned on her computer. Pulling up her email, she once again clicked on Peter Carlisle's personal file and scrolled down to the attached photograph. She shook her head in disbelief as she looked at his picture.  

The longer she examined his face, the more she could see how different he was from her Doctor. His hair wasn't the same but still chaotic in it's own way. He appeared to be the kind of bloke who'd have a five o'clock shadow by mid morning whereas the Doctor never showed signs of stubble. Then there was something about his mouth that was different. His bottom lip seemed like it was in a permanent state of pout. All things considered, Peter was different in some very nice ways. Rose squeezed her eyes closed tightly and shook her head. Why was she even entertaining the thought that he looked nice? He wasn't nice. He was frustrating. Obviously this universe was presenting her with a test. A test that she feared she had no hope of passing.  

oOo  

The park was buzzing with people as Rose and Mickey sat on the bench in companionable silence. She picked around at the order of chips she wasn't eating and thought about taking a bite. Even though she had skipped breakfast, she still didn't feel very hungry. She had managed to avoid Peter Carlisle all morning by hiding out in her office. Once she returned after lunch, she would finally have to face him and she wasn't looking forward to it.  

"I'm not sleeping much," Mickey said, breaking the silence. "Since Jake and... everything. Just can't sleep."  

"Yeah. Same for me. Plus the dream is back," she replied looking up to make eye contact.  

"The earthquake on the beach?"  

"Yeah. The past couple of weeks. Not every night... but often enough."  

"Look, Rose, 'm sorry things didn't work out. Truly I am, but me and you, we've got to take care of each other. Same as if we was back home, yeah? We've always looked out for each other. I know you didn't choose to be here but if you could leave now..." Mickey paused and sat up straight, squaring his shoulders. "Well, I don't think I could let you go," he sniffed.

  Rose smiled and bumped him with her shoulder. He had tried to be cheeky with that last part but she knew he was serious. "You're right. At least we've still got each other. And I don't seem to be going anywhere. Not even if I wanted to. So we move on then, yeah? Same as always. Me and you. Best mates." She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him as tight as she could. She was glad she had Mickey not only in this universe but here in Cardiff with her. He was the best friend she'd ever had and he always knew what to say to make her feel better.  

"Best mates. That's us. And because I love you so much, I have to say this... If you don't eat every last one of those chips, I'll feed them to you myself."  

oOo  

Peter had met Rose Tyler at 7:45am and hadn't been in the same room with her since. It was now 4:37pm as he sat alone in the break room of Torchwood. He had watched several hours of orientation DVDs and had been reading additional trainee information since he'd returned from having lunch. He peered over his glasses to catch Rose stepping back from just outside the doorway to retreat to her office. She was, not so subtly, avoiding him. This was the third time since lunch that he had seen her start into the room before spotting him and turning away. This was ridiculous.  

"Aye, I don't bite ye know," he called out to her. She stopped dead in her tracks but didn't turn to face him. "I'm quite capable of sharing space with another human being without causing them physical harm. I suppose with the way ye've been avoiding me that maybe ye heard otherwise." He was a cheeky bastard, and he knew it, but this really was absurd.  

"I haven't been avoiding you. I've had a lot of work to do in my office." Rose said as she turned her chin up slightly and walked into the room. She brushed past him without looking in his direction and made her way to the coffee.  

"No, Miss Tyler, I'm certain that ye've been avoiding me. If not all day, at least the past few hours. I've seen ye." He took off his glasses and looked at her as the corners of his mouth curled up into a sly grin. 

 "I really don't know what you're talking about. Why would I... I don't avoid people. 'S not my style." She nearly gasped when she turned around and saw the look he was giving her. She'd been caught. Of course she had been avoiding him. And of course she knew that was completely ridiculous. And now that she was in the same room with him again, it was even more uncomfortable than she had anticipated. That smirk on his face was unnerving.  

"Well, then, forgive me. My mistake." She was a terrible liar, Peter thought as he put his glasses back on and pretended to read. Not looking up he asked, "Do you live very near the hub?" 

 "Not far. Why do you ask?" Rose was finding it more and more difficult not to stare at him with his glasses on.   _Why is he so attractive? Ugh!_

"No particular reason. I only just moved to Cardiff when I got the job. The flat Torchwood provided for me is a short walk from here but I suppose you drive in to work..."  

"No. I do not drive in to work. Why would you assume that I did?" Rose felt her face become flush with anger. She slowly sat down at the table directly across from him and gave him a hard glare. 

 "Erm... I don’t know... I just thought...ehhh..."  

"I know exactly what you thought," she interrupted. "You thought that since I'm Pete Tyler's daughter that I must live in a posh flat far from this end of town. You thought there was no way in hell I would be caught living in one of the flats provided for the other Torchwood employees. You thought you knew me because you've seen my picture in magazines. You thought..." her voice was getting louder as she spoke and her blood was beginning to boil. How dare this prat assume to know her simply from the lies he'd read in the tabloids.  

Peter raised both hands as if to surrender. "Look, I was merely making what I thought was friendly conversation. I obviously don't know ye in the least. Nor was I pretending to. I was only just assuming since ye've lived in Cardiff a while maybe ye had a house here or-"  

"Well, I don't. My flat's in the same building as everyone else's."  

"Right. Okay. Again, I'm sorry if I-" 

 "'S fine. Forget it." Rose looked at the clock and then back at Peter. "You can just leave that on Mickey's desk," she said, pointing at the trainee manual he had been reading. "'S time to call it a day." She emptied her mug of coffee in the sink and walked out.  

Peter sat there stunned. _What the hell just happened?_ One minute he's flashing her is most charming smile and then the next thing he knows she's yelling at him. She might be the most unfriendly woman he'd ever met. And that was saying a lot. He scrubbed a hand over his face and walked over to Mickey's desk.

  "Oh thanks, mate," Mickey said as Peter deposited the manuals on the corner of his desk. "I guess this is the end of your first day. What'd you think?"

  "Erm... well... it was interesting, I suppose." That was an understatement. Rose Tyler was confusing. _Bloody gorgeous_ , but certainly a puzzle to be worked out. Peter couldn't keep from hoping he would get the chance to do just that.


	3. Chapter 3

His first few weeks as a field agent passed with little fanfare. Peter accompanied Mickey on several cases near the rift and soon found that dealing with aliens wasn't as outlandish as he'd expected. Mainly their job consisted of rescue operations. Visitors from other planets would find themselves stranded in Cardiff for one reason or another and it was up to Mickey and Peter to send them back on their merry way. Occasionally they would find their alien friends in need of medical attention and they would bring them back to the hub. Owen would treat their injuries in the most efficient way possible and they would be back on their ship and off into the stars as soon as they'd recovered. Owen Harper was very good at his job but otherwise a right git. More than once, Peter had wanted to punch him in the jaw for the rude remarks the man made to both Rose and Tosh. The women just rolled their eyes and seemed used to Owen's brash personality.  So Peter thought it best if he remained cordial while keeping his distance.

 

Speaking of distance... there was plenty of that between Rose and himself.  Not by his choice, but by hers. He wasn't sure how he managed to do it but almost every conversation ended with her storming out of the room. By the end of Peter's first month at Torchwood, he had stopped trying to create friendly banter of any sort. Aside from their daily greetings and the occasional pleasantry in the break room, he and Rose never spoke to each other. She had even passed the responsibility of performing his 90 Day Evaluation to Mickey in order to avoid being in a room alone with Peter. The whole situation was becoming increasingly annoying now that they had been working in the same hub for nearly four months.

 

Peter and Mickey, having returned from another successful rescue mission, sat together in the break room congratulating each other. The pair had become fast friends and by now were thick as thieves. They were just debating which pub to hit after work when Rose entered the room. 

"Hello, you," she said to Mickey and playfully rubbed the top of his head as she walked past. Mickey grabbed her hand and held it to his chest as she stood behind him. "Hey, Peter." She nodded and managed a smile. 

"So me and Petey were just talkin about the pub. And you're coming too." Mickey grinned and leaned his head back to look up at her.

 

"Oi! What'd I tell ye about calling me Petey? I'll not have it, ye knob." Rose arched an eyebrow at him and he felt a rush of heat course through his body. _Blimey, she was beautiful!_ Peter's eyes moved from her arched brow to her mouth. She was grinning at him with the end of her tongue poking out between her teeth. She might be a right pain in the arse but she was an incredibly sexy one. Mickey was going on about how "Mickey and Petey" sounded better than "Mickey and Peter" and they were a team after all... but his friend's words were lost on him. He stared at Rose's tongue and then looked back up to find her returning his gaze. He was certain she had just caught him studying her mouth but he didn't even care. Peter licked his lips and shot her a slow smile. He spoke to Mickey but kept eye contact with Rose the entire time. 

"Aye, Micks, call me what ye like. Are we going to the pub or not?"

"Um... yeah." Mickey let go of Rose's hand as he suddenly felt like the third wheel. He had just stopped his gob long enough to realize Peter and Rose were staring at each other like a couple of lustful teenagers. "Yeah, mate, we're going to the pub if you still want."

"Oh I definitely want. How about you, Rose?" He rested his tongue on the back of his top row of teeth and noticed Rose's eyes move to his mouth. He ran his tongue along his top lip and bit down on his bottom one before saying, "Do ye want?"

"Yeah." Rose nearly choked on the word. "Yeah, I want. Very much." She wasn't sure if they were still talking about the pub or not. All she knew was if Peter Carlisle didn't stop what he was doing with his mouth soon she was going to cover it with her own. 

Rose had spent the past month trying to avoid being in the same room with Peter. And this was why. He was as charming as he was infuriating. And, if she was honest, he was only infuriating because he was so damn attractive. She couldn't have a conversation with him without getting distracted by his eyes... or his mouth. At which point she would get so mad at herself that she would lash out at him and storm out of the room. For a few months now, Peter seemed to be avoiding her just as much. He no longer tried to make small talk. Some days he would never speak to her at all. Just a nod for hello in the morning and another for goodbye at the end of the day. She didn't like it. She had thought she hated the sound of his voice but, as it turns out, she hated his silence even more. 

"Well then, Mickey, I say we get this lovely lass to the pub before she reconsiders, eh?" 

oOo

"Rose Tyler... Rose Tylerrrrrrr... Ye don't like me very much, do ye?" Peter and Rose had just finished their tenth game of darts and were sitting alone at their table. Mickey had met an attractive woman at the bar two hours before and still had not returned. 

"Not really, no." Rose laughed as her reply caused Peter to twist his face into the most adorable pout. She'd had just enough alcohol to make everything seem funny. She wasn't pissed but she was definitely feeling the buzz in her head. For the first time in months, she was simply having a good time. And with Peter Carlisle no doubt.

 

"Oi! Et's nae funny! I've always liked you. Why don't ye like me? Is et because I talk funny?" Peter grinned so big he thought he'd break his face. Her laugh was intoxicating... and so was all of the lager he'd drank. He felt light headed, his face was flush, and his mouth was dry but it wasn't a result of the alcohol. _It was Rose._

Her laughter calmed and her smile faded as Rose took in the sight before her. Peter was wearing the Doctor's grin again. The one that she loved so much. It looked different on him... different, but beautiful. She thought about continuing to tease him but the alcohol seemed to be acting as a truth serum. Before she had the good sense to stop herself, Rose reached across the table and smoothed the fringe hanging in Peter's eyes. 

"I don't dislike you, Peter," she said, pulling her hand back but still leaning forward. "In fact, I like you more than I want to. Probably more than I should. That's why I can't stand to be around you."

He sat there stunned for a moment. Were his ears deceiving him? Had she really just said that? And had she just ran her fingers through his hair? Maybe he was closer to pissed than he'd thought.  Peter wasn't sure how they had gotten to this moment. Until now, Rose barely acknowledged his existence.  Yet here they were, in this noisy pub, alone at a table... _flirting?_

"I think yer bloody gorgeous!" He blurted. "And I've wanted to tell ye that since the moment I met ye." 

His admission caused Rose to laugh again. She laughed so hard that her entire body shook. He was confused. He had just confessed that he'd spent the past four months wanting to tell her how beautiful she was and she was laughing? Was she playing some sort of game? Peter suddenly felt uncomfortable and frustrated. He would never understand this woman. 

"'M sorry... really I am," she said as she caught her breath. "I mean, thank you for saying so. It's not funny... but it is. I just shouldn't be sittin here tellin you this. 'M not even drunk. Are you? I don't think 'm drunk... am I? Are we really havin this conversation?" She began to ramble on nervously as Peter's gaze never faltered. The more Rose stumbled over her words, the wider his grin spread across his face.

"Aye. We are most definitely having this conversation. And ye've only had two beers. I, on the other hand, am a wee bit drunk. Only just a little... wellll... alright maybe more than a little," he smiled. "But I mean what I say. I think yer stunning and I fancy you... very much, Rose Tyler. Even when yer driving me spare... like ye are now." 

Rose ducked her head and smiled. "Thank you, Peter," she said looking up to meet his gaze. "But you don't really fancy me. You don't know me well enough to fancy me. I think... I need the loo." 

When she stood from the chair, her head felt dizzy and she swayed just a bit. Peter quickly stood and grabbed her elbow to steady her. Rose turned to face him and they were standing so close that their noses touched briefly. She pulled away and sheepishly said, "'M sorry. Thanks for..."

Peter stopped her words with his mouth. Just the tiniest brush of his lips against hers sent a shiver down her spine. He pulled back and looked at her as if asking for permission. She felt herself nod and that was all he needed. He pressed his lips against hers again but with more purpose. The hand that had been gripping her elbow moved to the small of her back as he pulled her closer to him. Rose slid a hand up his arm and rested it on his shoulder as she gave into the kiss. His lips tasted of the sweet malt lager he'd been drinking and Rose thought maybe that particular brand had just become her new favorite. Peter's other hand slid into her hair as he worked his mouth against hers. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth and swiped his tongue across it before letting it go with a gentle bite. Rose felt the warmth of her arousal spreading through her body as Peter pulled away and looked at her through half lidded eyes. 

"Rose. I couldnae let ye walk away without kissing ye just once. Maybe I'm out of line but... I'm really nae sorry."

"The loo." Rose spoke in a whisper as she tried to recover from the heat pooling in her abdomen. "And then maybe we could... get outta here... yeah?"

"Oh, yeah," he growled. "Definitely yeah."

He watched Rose as she made her way to the loo. Studying her form as she walked away. He was startled when a hand waved in front of him, just inches from his face. 

"Oi, mate, snap out of it!" Mickey laughed. "Peter, this is Martha," he said gesturing to the beautiful woman standing to his right. "Martha Jones, this is Peter Carlisle."

"Aye, Martha, et's a pleasure," Peter smiled. 

"Yes, nice to meet you," Martha said as Mickey pulled out a chair for her to sit in. 

"Where's Rose? Did you scare her off? Shoulda known better than to leave ya alone with her..."

"No I didnae scare her off. She's just popped away to the loo." Peter stretched his neck to scan the room. "There she is now. Erm... I think we, erm, she was ready to call it a night."

 

"Don't worry, mate, I can talk her out of it," he said just as Rose was approaching the table. Mickey didn't notice the look of despair on Peter's face as he turned to introduce Martha to Rose.  "Rose Tyler, meet Martha Jones. The only woman I've ever met who matches you in both wit and beauty."

"Well then, now we see why he ditched us." Rose smiled as she stretched out a hand to the other woman. "Nice to meet you, Martha."

"I'm sorry. I would have returned him to you before now but there's just no stopping that gob," Martha laughed. 

"Oi! Everybody loves my gob!" Mickey said pretending to be offended. "Rose, Peter says you're ready to leave."

"Well... uh... I sort of thought..."

"Nope! I'm not lettin you go home before midnight! It's Friday night and you never go out. There's a pub around the corner with a live band. We should go. And I'll have no arguments from you, miss," he said as he waggled a finger at Rose.

 

She glanced at Peter apologetically and he shrugged in response. It was clear to him that there was no way to get out of the situation short of telling Mickey to sod off. That, unfortunately, was not an option. As much as he wanted to be alone with Rose, _and he really did want to be_ , he didn't want to cock things up. Over the course of the last five hours, something in their relationship had shifted. He didn't know what or how and he thought maybe it was best not to question it. All that mattered to Peter was the fact that Rose was not only enjoying his company but, judging by the way she had kissed him back, she seemed to return his affections. 

"Aye, Miss Tyler, I'd be delighted if you'd accompany us to another pub." Peter stood from his chair and offered her his arm. He gave Rose a flirtatious grin and waggled his eyebrows. "I'll even escort ye there myself, if ye like."

 

"Ohhhh... you!  You think you are so charming." Rose hooked an arm through his and smiled as her tongue peeked through her teeth. 

"I don't think, I know." Peter smirked, then leaned down to whisper, "And you agree."

As much as she hated to admit it, Rose did agree. It seemed that the harder she tried to fight the attraction, the stronger it became. She had spent months keeping her distance from him for fear of this happening. At first, she had avoided him because he reminded her so much of the Doctor. Then, somewhere along the way, she stopped seeing her Doctor and began seeing Peter Carlisle. Peter was witty, charming, sexy, and the warmth from his breath in her ear sent vibrations from her head to her... bum? Wait. Her bum was vibrating?

 

"Oh, my mobile!" She said as she fumbled to get the phone out of her back pocket. "Who is calling me at 10pm?" Rose looked at her phone to see her missed call was from Pete Tyler. And he had just left a voicemail. She pressed play to hear his message and moved away from Peter as she listened. 

"'M sorry, boys, but the fun is over. We need to go back to the hub... right now!


	4. Chapter 4

Rose and Peter began walking the two blocks from the pub back to Torchwood while Mickey said a proper goodbye to Martha. Rose's pace was quick and Peter was taking long strides to keep up. Although he had been feeling the effects of the lager he had drank, the alcohol made way for the adrenaline now coursing through his veins. This was the first time since he'd began work as a field agent that they had received an urgent call in the middle of the night from Pete Tyler himself. Peter wasn't sure what to expect once they reached the hub. He had attempted to ask Rose but she didn't offer up much of an answer before barreling ahead.

  "Hey, Petey, wait up!" Mickey called out as he jogged up behind them. Peter and Rose stopped and waited for him to catch up to them. He clapped Peter on the shoulder as he moved between him and Rose. Peter responded with a frustrated expression that made his dimples prominent as they continued on without a word.

He wasn't quite sure why, but something felt off kilter. As soon as he and Rose had exited the pub she seemed nervous and distracted. Peter wanted to chalk it up to whatever it was that Pete had said in his voicemail, but the nagging voice in the back of mind told him otherwise.

"So what do you think it is?" Mickey raised a quizzical eyebrow and looked at Rose as they rounded the final corner before reaching the hub.  

"Don't know. Pete just said I needed to check my email as soon as I heard the voicemail. Something about people who've gone missing. I figured the hub was the nearest place for me to check it," Rose replied. 

Peter tried not to be annoyed that he had already asked her the same question and received little more than a shrug in response. She was definitely avoiding him. _But why?_ He kept his gaze on her as they continued to walk but she never gave so much as a sideways glance in his direction.   

They entered the old warehouse that served as a base for the Torchwood hub. Rose began to jog to her office, turning on lights as she made her way there. She grabbed her lap top off of her desk and moved to sit at the table in the break room. Mickey and Peter followed her and both sat down on the sofa just behind her. Rose quietly read the email from Pete about the case from beginning to end. No apparent alien invasion - things had been quiet on that front since she had arrived in this universe - that was the good news. The bad news was that people had seemingly vanished into thin air. Rose skimmed over it once more, reading the highlights aloud.

  "Looks like there's been some disappearances. Five of them. In the past three weeks." Her voice trailed off as she read more to herself. "People are disappearing into thin air. All from the same area. Glynneath. Where's Glynneath? Coppers can't seem to find a trace. There was an eye witness to the latest girl's abduction... sounds like something a bit supernatural... definitely our area of expertise." She closed her lap top and turned to Mickey and Peter. "Right. So, Peter, this is where you get to flex your detective skills, yeah?"

  "I thought ye'd never ask," Peter said with a wide grin. "Glynneath is a wee town. Et's West Glamorgan. South Wales jurisdiction. I know a bloke. I used to work with him in Kendal. He's a detective inspector in Wales now. I can give him a call and find out what the local police are thinking."  

"Yeah, that's something you should do first thing in the morning. Once our team arrives, chances are, they'll be less than cooperative. It never matters that we are a government agency with high clearance - local coppers always see us as a threat. 'S like we're sayin they can't do their job or something. They just have no idea what they're dealin with. If your friend is involved in the investigation of this case and can help us out, that'd be brilliant." Rose tapped at the keys on her computer and then turned to Mickey.

  "I just emailed Pete and told him to fax everything he has on these missing person cases to your desk. I want to read the detailed report on the most recent case. 'M interested in what this eye witness saw. But first, I want you to start looking for anything the police might've missed. People don't just disappear into thin air. It could be some sort of teleport... find out exactly where each victim was when they vanished. This may just be a simple case of people stumbling into a portal that's tossing them out somewhere the police haven't looked."  

"Right, babe, I'm on it. If that's all this is, we can have the case closed tomorrow." Mickey hopped up and grabbed a bottle of Vitex from the icebox before turning to leave the break room.

  

"Peter, could I talk to you just for a second? In my office?" She stood from her chair but did not look directly at him.

  "Sure. We can talk in yer office, Miss Tyler," he grinned.  

"Mickey, we'll just be a tick. Come get me if you need any help," Rose said as she led Peter to her office.

  "You got it, boss." Mickey clicked his heels and gave her a mock salute before heading back to his desk.

  oOo

  "Close the door behind you, yeah?" Rose walked ahead of Peter into her office. Her stomach was in knots from nerves but she had something to say to him that couldn't wait. If she gave herself time to think about it, she was afraid she would change her mind. She turned back toward him but ducked her head as she spoke.

  "'M sorry about before... at the pub." She jerked her head up, startled, as she felt Peter's hands on her waist.  

"Aye, me too." He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him. "Mickey was so insistent and I didnae know if ye wanted me to tell him we were leaving together so..."  

Rose grabbed his arms and pulled herself free from his embrace. "No, Peter, I mean I'm sorry about the kissing."

  "Yer what?" Peter asked through clenched teeth and squinted in confusion. "I'm nae sorry for the kissing, Rose. And I don't believe yer sorry either."

  "'M serious, Peter. I shouldn't have let you... I mean, we shouldn't have done that. 'S okay, 'M not mad or anything, but it... It was a mistake."

  "Why are ye saying this now? What changed during the walk back here? Nothing's changed for me. I still meant what I said..." He pursed his lips and exhaled heavily before he continued, "and I don't regret anything."

  "Please stop!" Rose had moved to stand behind her desk in an effort to put as much space between them as possible. "It wasn't very professional and I'm-"

  Peter threw his hand up to silence her when she was mid sentence. He took a step closer to her but said nothing. He tried to collect his thoughts before he spoke. His hands were shaking and he could feel his face flush with anger. Peter had a habit of losing all tact when he was upset - something he was well aware of. Not wanting to cock things up any more than they already were, he took a deep breath and looked her in the eye.  

"You must be kidding me." He spoke as calmly as possible, pausing between each word. When Rose didn't try to explain herself he continued, "Et's unprofessional? Ye think the way ye've been treating me since the day I arrived has been professional? No, Rose, this has nothing to do with work. We are both adults. If we..."

  "If we what? You don't even know anything about me! You want to shag 'Rose Tyler, Vitex Heiress'. That's all this is, Peter. I shouldn't have flirted with you. I shouldn't have kissed you. 'M sorry for that, but this ends here."  

"When have I ever led ye to believe that I'm interested in you for the celebrity? That isn't true and ye know it! What the hell is going on in that pretty little head of yers?" Peter closed the distance between them, backing Rose into the far corner of her office. He was so angry now that he was seeing red but, more than that, he was hurt. He was confused. They were two consenting adults. Peter had wanted to kiss her for weeks. The thought of pressing his lips against hers was the beginning of nearly every late night fantasy he'd had for the past month. Judging by the way she had responded to his touch back at the pub, Rose felt the same about him. He was sure of it. _Why did she insist on playing games?_   

Peter leaned in close to Rose and gently ran the pads of his fingers down her cheek, along her jaw line, and stopped at her chin. "Why d'ye want to make it so bloody complicated, Rose?" His tone was hushed as his fingers moved lightly across her skin. His touch traced along her chin and lingered on her bottom lip. He rubbed his thumb over her soft pouting lip and tilted his head down - his mouth not more than an inch from hers - as he spoke. "Ye've spent the past few months trying to ignore yer feelings for me. Ye don't have to. I don't want ye to."

Peter couldn't shake free from the need to be near her. To touch her. It was as if he was being pulled closer to her like they were two magnets drawn together. He knew he would not be able to go back to the way things had been before this night. More importantly, he didn't _want_ to.

 

His body pressed against hers as he framed her face with his hands. He placed a soft kiss on each of her cheekbones and she closed her eyes trying to will herself to speak... to stop him. Peter seized the opportunity to gently kiss her closed eyelids and then he tilted her head back slightly to get better access to her neck. Rose tried unsuccessfully to stifle a moan and she felt as if she would melt right there in his hands. Her mind was flooded with all of the reasons why this was wrong, but her body didn't care. She fought the urge to run her hands through his beautifully mussed hair as the heat of her arousal grew with every press of his lips on her skin.

 "Rose." He breathed his words between each kiss he peppered on her face and neck. The warmth of his breath against her made it more and more difficult to maintain self control. "Just... tell me... to stop... and... I will..."  

"Stop, Peter." Her demand didn't seem very convincing, not even to her. The words escaped her as barely more than a whisper but Peter obeyed. He stopped touching her with his lips but began with his hands. He dragged them slowly down her face, neck, shoulders, arms, and then wrapped them around her waist. Rose felt the evidence of his arousal pressing hard against her stomach as he pulled her close.

  "Maybe yer right. I don't know much about you... but I want to. I want to know ye, Rose, and not just like this. I want to know everything... why won't ye let me?" He rested his forehead against hers as he rubbed large circles on her back. Her body was warm beneath his hands and her breathing was as labored as his own. "Rose, please. What d'ye want from me?"

  "I want you to leave my office please." Rose's body stiffened as she spoke. Her words were like daggers piercing his heart. Peter backed away from her slowly with one hand lingering on her waist. She couldn't even look him in the eye and it infuriated him. As he loosened his hold on her hip, he grabbed her hand and squeezed prompting her to look at him. He searched her eyes for... _anything._ Then he spoke three words that he had been wanting to say to her for months.  

"Who is he?"

  "Who? 'M not sure what you mean," she replied.  

"Who is he? This mystery bloke who looks like me... tell me who he is." He let go of her hand and smacked his own so hard against the wall that he was sure it would leave a bruise on his palm. It stung for only a moment before he was numb to the pain. "One minute yer hot and the next yer cold. This isn't about me, et's about him! The least ye can do is tell me who he is."

  "That's none of your business." Rose snapped her head up and locked eyes with him. She knew it wasn't an unreasonable request but she couldn't bring herself to talk about the Doctor. Not even to Peter. And he sure as hell wouldn't force her to.

"None of my business? You bloody well know it is! If I'm to suffer for what he's done, then tell me why. Was he yer lover? Did he leave ye broken hearted? Or maybe it wasn't his fault at all. Maybe it was you," he said with an impish grin. "That's it isn't it? Did ye get under his skin like ye've done mine? Did ye lead him on too? Maybe ye've always been a bit of a tease. Haven't ye, Rose? In that case, I don't blame him for-"  

There was a burning ache on his cheek where her hand connected to his face. She had, quite rightly, slapped the hell out of him. Peter rubbed his hand over the sting as she told him once more to leave. This time there was no question as to whether or not she meant it. She wanted him out of her sight.  

He looked over his shoulder at her one last time as he placed his hand on the door knob. Rose was crying. She made no sound but tears were teaming down her face as she stood with her arms wrapped around herself. Peter's heart ached in his chest. He was already sorry. He wanted to tell her as much. He wanted to beg for forgiveness. He had lost his temper and said things he didn't mean and that she didn't deserve. 

His hand dropped from the door as he turned back toward Rose. His mouth opened and closed several times, but he couldn't find the words. Peter took two steps toward her but she began shaking her head in protest. "Just go, Peter," she sighed.  

"Oi, you lot are taking a trip," Mickey said as he swung the door open. "Things don't add up the way we'd hoped." 

  "What lot?" Rose ducked her head to prevent her tears from showing.  "You. And you," he said pointing to her and Peter. "I just spoke to Pete. He's sending you two to Glynneath."

"Why us?" Peter spun around to look at Mickey. The idiot was quite good at popping up at the worst possible moment. "What about you?"

"I have to stay here. Remember our friendly fuschia visitor from a few weeks ago? She's back. Yan says she's hurt. Nothing fatal... just some burns. But you know she's keen on me." Mickey winked at Peter. "Just called Owen and he's comin' in to have a look at her."

Rose sat behind her desk and hid her tear stained face behind her computer monitor. She knew exactly which creature Mickey spoke of. The female Vsarran had come through the rift twice before and she very much preferred Mickey to anyone else on the team. If Owen meant to tend to her wounds successfully he would need Mickey there to keep her calm.

"I guess it's settled then," Rose said with a resigned sigh. "When?"

"You're leaving in the morning." If Mickey picked up on the palpable tension between Rose and Peter, he decided to ignore it. "Better pack a bag and get some sleep."


	5. Chapter 5

Rose was packing the final toiletries in her bag when she heard a knock. Her heart sank as she padded through her flat to answer the door. All Torchwood employees were provided a flat in the same building near the hub. Living just a short walking distance from work made it possible for them to respond quickly to any emergencies that may arise - day or night. Although it could have been any one of her coworkers knocking on her door - stopping by to see if she needed help with last minute packing - Rose knew it was Peter.   

"'M coming!" she said as he knocked again. Rose unlocked the door and took a deep breath before she turned the knob to open it. Her shoulders sagged and she exhaled in relief when she saw Mickey standing before her.    

"Hey, babe, you 'bout ready to go?" Mickey asked as he stepped past her and into her flat.   

"Yeah. Almost." Rose closed the door and made her way back to her bedroom. "I'll just be a tick." 

  "So are we gonna talk about what happened or...?" Mickey asked as he followed her through her flat and stopped just outside her bedroom. "And before you start pretending like you don't know what I mean, let me spell it out for you - I saw you and Peter kissing at the pub last night."   

"Ugh. You saw that, eh?"   

"Oh yes I did. Why else would I leave my comfy barstool next to the beautiful Dr. Martha Jones and risk losing the pleasure of her company by introducing her to the likes of you two?"   

"Okay, first of all, she's a doctor? You pulled a doctor? Of medicine?" Rose grinned as she shot him a sideways glance. "I'm not even going to pretend I'm anything less than shocked by that. Secondly, what do you mean 'the likes of you two'?" 

  "C'mon, Rose, you know what 'm talkin about. You and him were like a couple of randy teenagers last night. Even before we left work... what was that all about in the break room?" Mickey crossed his arms and leaned against the door jamb. "What's goin on with you and Peter?"   

"Nothing, Mickey, really. I just... UGH! I don’t know!" Rose began to take her frustrations out on the suitcase that was refusing to close because she had packed it so full. She hopped on top of it and pressed down with all of her strength to secure the closures. It wouldn't budge. She gave Mickey a pleading look and slid off of the suitcase to sit beside it on the floor. 

  "Want some advice? Never mind, don't answer that. 'M gonna tell you what I think whether you wanna hear it or not." Mickey pushed himself away from the door jamb and entered her room to assist with her luggage. "You need to tell him, Rose. About the Doctor. If Peter fancies you, and you fancy him, he needs to know," he said as he held the suitcase closed with one hand and fastened the closures with little effort. 

  "Yeah. I know. It's just not easy for me, you know?" Rose grabbed the hand Mickey offered and allowed him to pull her from her spot on the floor. "Besides, things with Peter are a right mess - that kiss in the pub? - that was nothing compared to what happened in my office." 

  "Please tell me you didn't... not when I was just down the hall, Rose. Bloody hell..."   

"God, no! We didn't... you know..." Rose waggled her eyebrows suggestively. "We had a shouting match instead. He might've asked me about the Doctor... I might've slapped him in the face..." Her voice trailed off and she winced before continuing. "I really don't know where things stand with me and him." 

  Mickey pulled Rose into a hug and felt her body begin to shake against him. He held her close and stroked her hair as she sobbed in his chest. Just thinking about the words she and Peter had exchanged the night before made her sick to her stomach. She wasn't sure what had bothered her more - the hurtful things he said about her or the pain she'd caused him that fueled his words? She was angry at him and at herself but not knowing how he felt about it all, the morning after, is what made her heart ache the most.   Rose wiped her tears on her shirt sleeves and looked up at Mickey. He was right, and she knew it, but telling Peter about her Doctor was easier said than done. 

  "Thanks for the advice, Micks, but I'm not even sure if Peter cares at this point." She sighed heavily and rested her cheek on Mickey's chest.   

"Well, babe, you're about to drive three quarters of an hour to Glynneath. Just you and him. Alone in a car." He gave her one last hug and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "I suggest you use that time to find out, yeah?" 

  "Yeah... maybe. Oh, Mickey, this trip is gonna be dreadful!" she whined.   

"Wait... did you really slap him hard?" Rose nodded in response and chewed on her bottom lip. "'M talkin like a real good 'Jackie Tyler slap'... did you really give him one of those?" Mickey asked as he picked up her suitcase to carry it to the car. 

  "Yeah," Rose said sheepishly. "I sort of did."   

"Ha! Well then, we may never see the poor bloke again! I'll be gobsmacked if he even meets us in the car park." Mickey shook his head and laughed. 

  "Really? You... gobsmacked?" Rose smiled at him teasingly. "One could only hope!"   

oOo 

  Peter woke from a fitful night of sleep. Actually, more like a fitful four hours of sleep. He still wasn't sure what to make of the previous night's events. Rose had been flirting with him in the break room just as the work day had ended. Proper flirting... after five months of the cold shoulder. Not that he was complaining, quite the contrary, but everything after that was a bit of a blur. Five hours and four pints later at the pub, he had kissed her... and she him.   

Then, in the time it had taken her to return from the loo and get distracted by Torchwood business, she had done a complete about-face. Plans of leaving the pub to find a more intimate setting had turned into rejection and shouting in her office at the hub. Peter recalled the way her soft skin felt under his hands as he had stroked her cheek while placing open mouthed kisses on her neck. How her body felt pressed into his as he had backed her against her office wall. Then he recalled the harsh words spoken between them when she claimed it had all been a mistake. The argument that ended when, letting the pain of being rejected consume him, Peter had said unforgivable things to her. Words he wished he could erase no sooner than he had spoken them. Terrible things that resulted in Rose slapping him so hard across the face that, even now, he could still feel the sting.   

He scrubbed his hands over his face and growled in frustration. There was no point in prolonging the inevitable. Thanks to a string of mysterious disappearances in bloody Glynneath, he and Rose had been instructed to make their way to the small town as soon as possible. Peter was not looking forward to the eminent awkward car ride. However, as strange as it may be, he longed to see Rose. That fact alone shook him to his very core. Even though she most likely hated him, he ached for her.   

Stepping in to the loo for a quick shower, Peter let the realization of how deep his feelings were for Rose completely sink in. As he moved to stand under the stream of hot water spraying down on him, he made a conscious decision to right the things he had made wrong with her. It wouldn't be easy, he knew that, but she was worth it to him. All of the anger and the hurt that had consumed him the night before, rolled off of him with the rivulets of water now rippling down his back. He closed his eyes and saw flashes of his memories from the night before. Rose's mouth. Her eyes closing as he placed soft kisses on her eyelids. Her hands in his hair. His lips pressed against hers. All of the tension and frustration he was feeling had manifested into a throbbing ache as Peter took himself into his right hand and braced his weight against the wall with his left. Intent on a quick release, he dropped his head, squeezed his eyes shut, and spoke softly as his grip grew tighter. Just one word... "Rose." 

  oOo   

Mickey stepped into the car park, Rose's suitcase in hand, to find Peter placing his own luggage into the back of the black SUV.   

"Oi, mate, don't close that yet. This needs to go in there too," he said as he jogged over to the vehicle.   

"Aye. Erm... et's you and me then? Rose... she isn't coming?" Peter tried to appear unfazed but the thickness of his voice betrayed him.    

"No, she's coming, this is hers. She just needed a mo. You know women," Mickey said, rolling his eyes. 

  "Aye, that I do. Are ye coming with us or..." Peter suddenly felt nervous. He had things he wanted to say to Rose that would be difficult enough without Mickey being there to hear them.   

"No, Petey. Just you and her," Mickey said as he clapped Peter on the shoulder. "Look, mate, she will be here any second so I'm just gonna say this and leave it at that. I saw you kids snogging at the pub. And Rose just told me about smacking you in the face." 

  "Look, Mickey, I just..."   

"Stop. Just let me... this needs to be said." Peter nodded as Mickey continued. "There are things you don't know about her. Things you'll find hard to believe... but she has to tell you on her own time, yeah? Don't rush it. She had been through a lot before you showed up. Now that she fancies you, it confuses things. Just... give her some space, yeah?" 

  "She fancies me?" Peter's face stretched into a wide grin as he and Mickey made their way around to the front of the car. "Did she tell ye that? She really said she fancied me?" 

  "Oi, Romeo! Did you even hear what I said?" Mickey slapped him on the back of the head and rolled his eyes. "You are seriously worse off than I thought. Getting a right good slap from a Tyler woman and living to tell about it is one thing. But suffering that and still gettin that love struck fool look on your face for her..." Mickey gestured to Peter's beaming grin. "Now that! That is the beginning of the end, mate."   

Peter glanced over Mickey's shoulder to see Rose entering the car park. He quickly sobered his expression and jerked his head in her direction causing Mickey to whirl around.   

"Oi, finally! We've got everything loaded up. Looks like you two are ready to hit the road." Mickey walked a few steps closer to Rose as she approached and scooped her up into a big bear hug. 

  "Hey, put me down!" Rose squealed. He placed her feet back on the ground and they both laughed. 

  "Right. I'll just let you kids get to it. By the looks of things outside, I think it may take a bit longer to get there. It's just starting to rain. 

"  Peter and Rose both said goodbye to Mickey and sat together in the Torchwood SUV. They fastened their safety belts and sat in silence long enough for each of them to take a deep breath of confidence then begin to speak at the same time. They both laughed awkwardly as their words jumbled together. Then Rose spoke first. 

  "Look, Peter, let's just try..." Her voice trailed off as she focused all her energy on swallowing the lump that began to rise in her throat. Peter sensed her nervousness and reached out to her. He grabbed the hand she had rested on her thigh and entwined his fingers with hers. They fit together perfectly... a fact that did not go unnoticed.   

"Rose. Would ye let me say just one thing?" His words were almost a whisper and had nearly gotten caught in his throat. He waited for her to nod before he continued, "I am so, so sorry. The dreadful things I said to ye... I didn't mean one word. Ye hafta believe me, Rose." He paused for a beat as he fought against the tears that were pooling in his eyes. "Sometimes I can be a selfish bastard. I just... I couldnae believe that ye didnae feel the same way I felt when we kissed. It was like ye were shutting me out and... well... I spoke out of frustration. I just hope that ye can forgive me." Peter looked down at their hands, still clasped, on her lap. Rose hadn't tried to free her hand from his grasp but she still wouldn't even look at him. She sat there, unmoving, staring straight ahead. "I don't know what else to say..."   

"Can I speak now?" she asked as she turned to face him. Even though she had heard how unsteady his voice was as he asked for forgiveness, Rose was startled to see his eyes were filled with unshed tears. She exhaled heavily, releasing a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.   

"Aye." Peter nodded without breaking eye contact. His expression was one of sincere regret as his mind replayed last night's shouting match. 

  "'M sorry too. I shouldn't have flirted with you-"   

"No, Rose, please don't do this again," Peter begged as he leaned closer and pulled the hand he was still holding to his chest. Rose could feel his heart beating against the back of her hand. His single human heart. 

  "Peter, let me finish." Rose worried her bottom lip before she began. "I shouldn't flirt with you so shamelessly and then act the way I did back at my office. I was scared. It sounds daft, I know, but I never expected to have feelings for you... or anybody... ever again. I pushed you away and 'm sorry." She pulled her hand from his and crossed her arms. "But that doesn't excuse the hurtful things you said to me, Peter. You don't know anything about me and the Doctor. That's his name, by the way, the man who looks like you." 

  "Rose, please hear me when I say I'm sorry. I sincerely mean it," he said as his hand reached out for hers once again. This time he pulled their interlocked hands up to his mouth and placed a soft kiss on her index finger. "Yer right, I don’t know anything about you and him. But I'd like to. I want ye to trust me enough to tell me about... everything. As soon as yer ready."  With his free hand, Peter gently stoked her cheek with the backs of his fingers. Rose leaned into his touch and managed a weak smile. She knew she needed to tell him. Not just about the Doctor, but also about who she was and where she came from. As he brushed her hair back from her shoulder and snaked his hand around to rub the back of her neck, Rose thought she needed to tell him sooner than later. Every touch from Peter sent waves of heat through her body. She wasn't sure how much longer she could resist the urge to snog him senseless but she knew it was important to talk first. 

  "Thank you, Peter." Rose turned to kiss his forearm that rested on her shoulder. "I hear we've got a long drive ahead of us... now is as good of a time as any, yeah?" 

  "Yeah." Peter smiled but his eyes were dark as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it once more. "Rose? Can I kiss you?" His breath was hot as he spoke the words against the back of her hand. She responded by leaning across her seat and lightly kissing the corner of his mouth. Rose pulled back for a beat - just long enough to see the need she felt mirrored in Peter's eyes - then she cupped his cheek and properly kissed him. Slowly and deliberately.   

The hand that had been caressing the back of her neck moved upward, getting lost in her hair, as Peter parted his lips to deepen the kiss. Her tongue tasted of minty toothpaste as it passed over his to explore his mouth. When Rose brushed her warm tongue across the roof of his mouth, Peter couldn't bite back the moan that escaped him. He felt himself begin to harden when she leaned in closer to him and tangled her free hand in his hair. Her other hand, still holding tightly to his, was now trapped between them as her chest pressed against Peter's.   

"Oh, Rose." His words sounded like as if he was pleading with her as he tilted his head back to catch his breath. "Rose, yer so beautiful." She responded by nibbling on his bottom lip causing the corners of his mouth to turn upward into an impish grin. "And unless yer hoping to be taken roughly in the back of this car, ye need to stop that."   

"Mmmmmm... maybe another time... but with a lip like that, you're just asking for it," she said as she smiled, tongue poking out between her teeth.   

"Is that so?" He swiftly leaned in to capture the tip of her tongue with his mouth and suck on it gently before releasing it. "Sort of like that thing ye do with yer tongue?" 

  "Yeah, sort of like that." Rose smiled as she rested her forehead against his. 

  "I'm sorry for being a knob last night, Rose." 

  "Shush... we're both sorry and both forgiven, yeah?"   

"Yeah." He raised her hand to his lips to place a kiss on the back of each of her fingers entwined with his. "I'm afraid to let go of yer hand. I fear I'll wake to find this was all a dream."   

Rose trailed her fingers along the stubble on his cheek and gave him a chaste kiss. "'M right here, Peter. And 'm not going anywhere. Not without you. I promise."   

"Good. Because we actually do need to go somewhere..." Peter looked at his watch. "And we should have left nearly an hour ago." 

  Peter turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of the car park on to the street. The rain had picked up pace since Mickey had left and it would most likely make the trip longer than expected. Rose had resolved to spend the time telling him about her life in the other universe and her time spent with the Doctor. She knew the truth would sound like a fantastic product of her imagination, but she hoped Peter would trust her. She hoped it wouldn't change his feelings for her. Their relationship had changed and there was no turning back. At least not for her. Peter roused her from her thoughts when he took her hand and laced his fingers with hers.   

"I hope et's okay." He glanced down at her hand, giving it a squeeze. "Suddenly mine just feels empty without it." 

  "I don't mind at all," she smiled. "In fact, I quite prefer it."


	6. Chapter 6

"Say somethin’... anything." Her words were not much more than a whisper as Rose busied her fingers with a stray thread at the hem of her shirt. She had spent the last hour recounting her life with the Doctor, from **Run!** to **Rose Tyler...** , as they made their way to Glynneath. Leaving nothing out, she explained to him how she had arrived in this universe and then spent a year and a half trying to get back home. A struggle that had cost the life of a very close friend and had left her utterly devastated. Offering little more than the occasional sigh or raised eyebrow in response, Peter had remained focused on the task of maneuvering the vehicle through the pouring rain. He had long since let go of her hand so he could concentrate on driving. Now, that that the rain was coming down in sheets, he had pulled off of the road in an effort to let it subside. Rose felt warm tears begin to stream down her cheeks as she waited for him to speak. 

 

"I honestly don't know what to say." Peter finally released his tight grip on the steering wheel and slumped back into his seat. "If ye had told me that story six months ago, I'd have told ye to pull the other one. But, after everything I've seen while working for Torchwood, it doesnae sound so crazy." Running a hand through his hair, he sighed heavily as he turned to look at her. Seeing the tracks through her make-up that had been left by her tears, Peter wiped them away by rubbing the back of his index finger over her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Rose, for everything ye've been through. I know telling me this wasn't easy, I'm glad ye did."

 

"Why do I feel like there's a 'but'..." Peter interrupted her words by running his thumb across her bottom lip. He then framed her face with his hands and leaned across the car to gently place a chaste kiss on that single lip. 

"There's no 'but', Rose," he said as he rested his forehead against hers. "Well, not really. I just... et's... yer an alien to this universe. That's what yer saying... right?"

 

"Guess so." She pulled away from him and grabbed his wrists to remove his hands from her face. "I didn't really think of it like that. But yeah, I guess I am."

 

"No, you're getting it wrong. I didnae mean to say it that way. I'm just worried that ye might always want to go home. Ye said you wanted to travel with this Doctor bloke forever.  So... where does that leave me?"

 

"I would never leave you, Peter. Never ever." Rose tried to speak as clearly and calmly as she could as she felt her emotions swell in her chest. "So maybe I did want to stay with him forever, but he left me here. I kept thinking he would find a way to come back for me, but he didn't. 'M not waiting for him anymore. I was angry for so long... Now I know he had his reasons. And 'm sure they were good reasons." She took a calming breath and reached for Peter's hand before continuing. "When Jake died eight months ago, part of me died too. The part that insisted on leaving this place. 'M not going anywhere.  Especially now that I've met you."

 

Peter's mouth crashed into hers as he wrapped both arms around her. He pulled her body as close to his as he could and still felt as if it wasn't close enough. As her lips parted, he danced his tongue into her mouth and began swirling circles around hers. Rose lightly tugged as she grabbed fists full of his hair, eliciting a guttural moan that he could not suppress. He stretched the collar of her jumper, pulling it down as far as possible, while he kissed and licked a path from her chin to her clavicle.  The hand that was splayed on her back began to roam under her shirt as he felt the urgency to touch her bare skin.

 

"Peter," Rose panted as heat coursed through her body. "Peter, we can't... not yet... not here."

 

"Aye." His breath, although hot on her neck, sent a shiver down her spine. Peter sucked her earlobe into his mouth and released it with a gentle bite. "I'm sorry, Rose," he said as his tongue traced the shell of her ear. "Yer right. We should stop."

 

"Mhmm we should," she hummed as she tangled her hands in his hair. Rose pulled his head back away from her neck to capture his lips once more. "The rain has stopped. We really should go."

 

"Sod it," he growled against her lips as he gave her one last chaste kiss. Peter smoothed his hand over her mussed hair and leaned back to look at Rose. Her lips were red and swollen, her clothes were rumpled, and her hair was a right mess. The corners of his mouth curled up into a satisfied grin, knowing he was responsible for her current state.

 

"Wotcha?" Rose looked at him with her tongue-touched grin that made him want to do an endless list of unspeakable things to her.

"Nothing. Ye've just never looked more beautiful than ye do right now," he said as he knit their hands together and smiled. 

 

oOo

 

Glynneath was a small village town in Wales that Rose had never even heard of.  Of course, once she and Peter arrived and had their rooms sorted at the hotel, she knew exactly why. There wasn't much to talk about. The population boasted a mere 4,000 people and there weren't many sights to see. Deciding there wouldn't be much for them to investigate until the rain stopped, Peter and Rose stopped at the first chippy they saw. As she ordered the chips, Peter called his friend who worked for South Wales Police Department in an effort to obtain as much inside information on the mysterious disappearances as he could.

 

"So, my source says that the local police had thought the other victims would eventually turn up, until this latest incident. They've all been local kids in their late teens to early twenties. All of them last seen near some old abandoned house on the edge of town. Et's where the young crowd go to have a piss up. The police just assumed these kids were messin’ about, got rat arsed, and just didnae come home for a few days."

 

"That was until they had an eye witness, yeah?"

 

"Quite. This bloke says he saw his girlfriend vanish into thin air. Right before his eyes," Peter said as he thoughtfully chewed his food. "Et's the part about the statue that puzzles me."

 

"Yeah, that's strange. What was it the report said again? She put her hand on the statue and then disappeared? Just like that?"

 

"Aye. Maybe we should pay this," Peter glanced down at the notes he had made of his phone conversation to find the young man's name. "Rory Williams a friendly call."

 

"Yeah we should." Rose finished her chips and stood to put her trash in the nearest bin. "Maybe he would be kind enough to show us where this seemingly haunted house is."

 

Peter also binned his now empty bag of chips and looked out the window to gauge the weather. "It looks like it's slowed to a drizzle. Shall we?"

 

Rose typed the address into the vehicle's navigation system and found that they were just a few blocks from their destination. Within ten minutes, they had arrived at the home of Rory Williams and Peter was knocking on the door. They were greeted by a man in his early twenties with unruly dark blonde hair.

 

"Uh, hi. Can I help you with something?" he asked as his eyes darted from Peter to Rose in confusion. 

 

"Aye. I'm Peter Carlisle and this is Rose Tyler. We've just arrived from Cardiff to investigate the disappearance of Amelia Pond." Peter stretched out his hand. "Ye wouldnae happen to be Rory Williams, would ye?"

 

"Oh! Yeah, I am! Come in, please." Rory shook both Rose's and Peter's hand then motioned for them to come through. "You're from Cardiff? I've already told the police everything I know. I don't think-"

 

"Well, we work for a government agency that specializes in this sort of thing," Rose cut in. "Would you mind terribly if we asked you to tell us what happened? Sometimes police reports are a right pain to decipher." Peter arched an eyebrow in response as he saw the smile she was giving Rory. Was she _flirting_?

 

"Uh... yeah. Of course! I'm sorry. I don't mean to be rude... please have a seat." Rory moved ahead to lead them to the sitting room and Rose winked at Peter.

 

Peter ducked his head to Rose's her ear. "Ye think yer so clever."

 

"'S because I _am_ so clever. You catch more flies with honey," she whispered with a seductive smile.

 

After Rose and Peter sat on the sofa, Rory sat down in a chair directly across from them. "I'm sorry... would you like a cuppa? Should I put the kettle on?" 

 

"No, thank you. Really we're fine, Rory. Oh, I can call you Rory, yeah?" Rory nodded in reply and Rose leaned forward resting her elbows on her knees. "Thanks, but we don't want to take up much of your time," she smiled. “So, could you tell us what happened the night Amelia Pond disappeared?”

 

"Right. So... what happened... from the beginning?" He took a deep breath and straightened his posture. "Okay. Amy and I were at McCreepy's with some friends." Rose and Peter both gave him a questioning look. "Oh, sorry, McCreepy's is what everyone calls the old abandoned house on the other side of town. It's on McCrimmon Lane and it's, well, creepy. So it's... _McCreepy's._ "

 

"Aye. Makes perfect sense," Peter smirked.

 

Rory nodded in agreement and continued. "Right. We're all at McCreepy's. Some people were drinking beer - I think Amy had one - but I wasn't. I was driving so I wasn't drinking." He fidgeted with his shirt collar with one hand as he spoke. "A couple of blokes got into a row. Nothing too serious... but I thought Amy and I should shove off. We walked back to my car and saw that we were blocked in so I had to pull into the back garden... just to turn the car around... but..." His voice trailed off as he blankly stared straight ahead. 

 

"But what, Rory?" Rose urged him to finish.

 

"That's when we saw it. Spotted it with the headlights." He continued to stare off at nothing in particular. "It was... well, it looked like... we thought it was just a statue. Looked like an angel. With wings and everything." Rory then focused his eyes on Peter and spoke directly to him. "Did you ever have one of those moments? One that, at the time, seemed like nothing at all, but when you look back on it... it was this defining moment.  The split second decision you made in that moment, changed your life forever. Have you ever had one of those, Mr. Carlisle?"

 

"Aye." Peter drew out the single syllable as he waited for Rory to continue.

 

"I had one. The night Amy was taken. She saw the statue and thought it was beautiful. She insisted on getting out of the car to get a closer look but she was struggling with her safety belt. I came within a hair's breadth of ignoring her. Just turning the car around as planned and leaving... but I loved her. I mean I do still love her. She had that beautiful grin on her face... she was filled with excitement... so what did I do? I leaned over and freed her from her safety belt so she could get out of the car." Rory's eyes grew red and watery with tears. "I wish I could go back to that moment." He wiped his cheeks with the back of his hand. "Sorry. I'm really sorry. I can't even think about it without crying every bloody time."

 

"'S okay, Rory. Take your time." Rose leaned forward and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. 

 

"Right. Uh... so Amy got out of the car and walked over to the statue. She just wanted a closer look. I remember she said it was 'stunning'. That's the exact word she used. Then I heard yelling - the blokes had started throwing punches - I looked back at Amy and I told her to stop mucking about and get back in the car." Rory took a shuttering breath as tears began streaming down his face once more. "Amy spun around and pointed her finger at me... she does that when she's about to sass... and she said 'Oi! Stupid Face! Stop bein’ a pain in the arse!' Then she literally disappeared. It was as if she evaporated or something. I can't even explain it."

 

"Ye didnae hear a loud noise or see a flash of light or..."

 

"Nothing. She vanished. But then, this is the peculiar thing - the statue had moved."

 

"'M sorry... what? The statue, made of stone, it moved?" Rose was confused.

 

"It had been a statue of an angel with it's hands over it's eyes. Like this." Rory opened both of his hands and placed his palms over his face, covering it almost completely. "Then when Amy disappeared its face was no longer covered. It was reaching out with both arms as if it had grabbed her. And it's face..." Rory visibly shook as a chill ran through his body. "It looked evil. All sharp teeth and mouth opened wide like it was screaming. But it made no sound at all."

 

"So then what did you do, Rory?" Rose asked. 

 

"Well, I was completely shocked. I sat there, for several seconds, not believing what I had seen. I got out of the car and a yelled for her. I knew she was gone but I called for her anyway. I looked in the direction of where our friends were and then back at the... thing... and it had moved again. In the second that I'd turned my head, it had moved closer to me. That's when I jumped in my car and went straight to the police as quickly as I could."

 

"Rory, would you show us where this house is?" Rose stood and Peter followed suit. "We would like to get a look at this thing... what ever it is."

 

"I haven't been back. I can't go back. I just... I'm sorry, but I can't go back there." Rory once again wiped his tear stained cheeks and rose from his chair. 

 

"'S okay. I completely understand. If I give you my number would you call if you change your mind? Just think about it, yeah?" Rose reached a hand out to Peter and he pulled the small notebook from his pocket. He handed it to her while he fished out a pen for her to write her mobile number down. Tearing out the sheet of paper and handing it to Rory, she gave the notepad and pen back to Peter. 

 

"Okay. Yeah... I'll think about it."  Rory led them to the door and let them out. 

 

Rose took a few steps toward their car and then turned back to Rory. "I know it's difficult to lose someone you love. To have your lives torn from each other." She closed the distance between them and placed her hand on his arm. "We may not be able to get Amy back, but we could possibly stop this from happening to someone else. If you can help us, Rory, please call." 

 

oOo

 

"It's only half three and I'm knackered!" Rose collapsed on the sofa in her hotel room while Peter stood just inside the doorway. "Well, aren't you coming in?" Rose tilted her head back on the arm of the sofa to look at him. 

 

"Aye." Peter closed the door and walked over to a chair just to the left of the sofa. 

 

"Peter, you could sit with me. I mean... if you want." Rose sat up and kicked off her shoes. She tucked her legs beneath her to make room for Peter and patted the cushion next to her. 

 

"Well, if ye insist, Miss Tyler," Peter smiled and sat down next to her.  Rose giggled as she stretched her legs out across his lap and gave him a wink. "Yes, please make yerself comfortable," he laughed.

 

"I will," she said and smiled that tongue touched smile that he loved so much. "So, watcha make of this guy's story? Believe him?"

 

"First instinct? Aye, I believe him."

 

"Yeah." Rose twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "Me too. 'M gonna give Micks a call and see if there's anything he can find out about these statue angels."

 

"Aye. Sounds like a good idea. Ye think Williams will call ye?"

 

"'M not sure... I sorta think he will. If he hasn't called by the time Mickey gets some information for us, we will just have to pay a visit to the local coppers."

Rose dug her mobile out of the back pocket of her jeans and dialed Mickey's number. Peter watched her mouth move as she began to relay the story Rory Williams had told them. His eyes roamed down her body traveling to her neck, the gentle swell of her breasts, down to her thighs, then lingering on her legs outstretched across his. He began lightly stroking them from knee to ankle and back up again. Rose shot him a look and grinned as she carried on with her phone conversation. Taking it as an invitation to continue, Peter moved his hands farther up her denim clad legs. He rubbed upwards along her thighs to her hips and gripped them tightly before sliding his hands back down the length of her legs. He bent his head down as he raised her left leg to his lips and placed a kiss on her knee. Peter began massaging her leg, gently kneading the flesh, as his right hand moved up her inner thigh and stopped abruptly. His hands froze as he turned to look at Rose. Her eyes were dark and she shuddered shifting, just slightly, but enough to encourage him. With his right hand still firmly placed on her inner thigh, he slid his left hand under her shirt to feel her soft skin. He felt himself harden as he reached her lace covered breast and gently squeezed while his other hand inched closer and closer to the apex of her thighs.

 

"Peter," Rose panted as she dropped her mobile to the floor. "What?" He cupped her sex and she gasped. "What are you..."

 

"D'ye want me to stop, Rose?" He moved from beneath her legs and hovered above her. He lowered his head to place a trail of wet kisses from the dip at the base of her neck to the sweet spot behind her right ear. "Tell me to stop, Rose," he whispered.

 

"No." She threaded her fingers in his hair and tugged as her lips found his. She slid her tongue into his mouth and wrapped her legs around his waist and used them to slam his body into hers. She could feel how hard he was as he ground against her. Peter covered both of her breasts with his hands and began gently squeezing one as he teased the nipple of the other causing her to arch into him.

 

"Oh, Rose," he growled as her hands made quick work of the clasp and zipper to his trousers. She slid her hand inside his pants and stroked his length with a firm grip. "Mmmmm... I seem to remember someone nearly agreeing to being taken roughly in the car this morning." He grinned against her mouth.

 

Rose nibbled on his bottom lip then yanked at his trousers and pants. "How about you do it here instead?"

She struggled with his trousers as Peter continued to kiss, nip, and lave her breasts. Their bodies were pressed too closely together for her to make any progress with the removal of his clothes. _Bloody hell!_

"Peter!" Rose pushed him off of her in frustration. He looked almost frightened. His mouth half opened, swollen red lips, and his eyes as big as saucers. She smoothed her hand over his furrowing brow and smiled. "Too many clothes, yeah?"

 

"Aye," he grinned and waggled his eyebrows as he stood from the sofa and kicked off his shoes. "Shit! I don't have any... erm, I didn't expect this... so no condom." Peter removed his jumper but froze with his hands at the waistband of his pants.

 

''S okay. 'M on birth control. I haven't... needed it..." She ducked her head. "not for a while... but 'm..."

 

Peter took a deep, calming breath and knelt down in front of her. He lifted her chin to look in her golden brown eyes. In the heat of their passion, everything was moving at warp speed. He kissed her slowly and deliberately. "Rose, we don't have to do this. If yer nae ready. We can wait." He rested his forehead against hers and moved a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I'll wait for you, Rose."

 

"Please, Peter. I need you." She covered his lips with hers and swiped her tongue along his bottom lip. "All of you."

 

Rose undressed herself quickly as he finished removing his pants and trousers. They both paused for a moment, roaming their eyes over the naked flesh before them committing every crevice, every curve, every single inch to memory. Rose sat at the edge of the sofa and placed her hands on either side of his slim waist. His erection twitched as she dug her nails into his hips and pulled him closer. She ran her tongue from base to tip along his throbbing cock and placed a wet kiss on the tip. Peter grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her to her feet. He kissed her hard as he held the back of her head with one hand and moved the other down her body. He slid his hand through her damp curls and slipped one finger between her folds.

 

"Turn around," he whispered. Rose turned her back to him and Peter bent her over the arm of the sofa. He stroked her back, feeling each bump of her spine under his palm. Then he bent over her, pressing his chest against her smooth skin, to place a kiss on the back of her neck. "Yer gorgeous, Rose." He licked and nipped at her neck. "Are ye ready?"

 

"Please, Peter... I want you inside of me... _now._ "

 

Peter grabbed her hips and aligned their bodies. Holding her still with one hand, he guided himself with the other and thrust his cock into her slick warmth with a groan of pleasure. He pulled back until he was almost out and then thrust into her again, only deeper. Rose screamed his name and he thrust a third time, sheathing himself completely inside her wetness.

 

"Are ye okay?" He stilled himself inside her warmth and leaned down to place a kiss on her back as he held tight to her hips.

 

"Yes... fast and hard, Peter," she whimpered. "I want you... _please_."

 

Peter gripped her tightly and began slamming into her over and over. She was so hot and tight and he had wanted her like this for so long. He struggled to keep a steady pace, feeling as if his body was melting into hers.

"I'm sorry... cannae last long," he said and reached around to find her clit with his thumb. He began gently rubbing the bundle of nerves as he continued to pound into her as hard as he could.

 

Rose screamed out "Oh fuck yes!" as he felt her tighten around him. He slowed his pace for a few thrusts to prolong her orgasm. The way her inner walls clenched around his length felt better than he could have imagined. He began to crash into her again and again until he came apart inside of her with a satisfied moan.

 

They collapsed together on the sofa both glistening with sweat. Peter rolled over on his side as he slid out of her. He pulled Rose's body against his and spooned her from behind.

   
 

"Rose? Are ye okay? I didnae hurt you?" He placed a kiss on the crown of her head and tightened his embrace. He knew in that moment what he had been suspecting for weeks. Peter was utterly and completely in love with Rose Tyler.

 

"'M fantastic," Rose smiled.


	7. Chapter 7

Rose and Peter snuggled together in a tangle of limbs on the sofa. Rose relaxed against the naked body spooning behind her. She lazily stroked the coarse hair on the arm Peter had slipped under her head and draped across her chest, hand placed firmly on her shoulder, as he held her close. His other hand rested on her bare hip as they lay in silence. As the euphoria she'd been filled with in the first moments after having sex with Peter dissipated, Rose felt inklings of uncertainty replacing it. She suddenly became acutely aware of the fact that he was more than a dozen years her senior and all of the implications attached.

Rose began replaying every touch, every ragged breath, that culminated when Peter had bent her over the arm of the sofa and pounded their naked bodies together in a fog of passion. Just thinking about how he felt inside of her caused a hitch in Rose's breathing. Simultaneously, feelings of anxiety filled her mind. She was not an experienced lover, only having been intimate with two blokes before now. She had only been sixteen when she left home with Jimmy. Their sexual encounters had been mediocre at best. He was never very attentive to her needs, both in and outside of the bedroom, and she had been too young to even know what those needs were.

 

Rose's relationship with Mickey had been a bit more complicated. They loved each other but, as time revealed, had never really been in love. Mickey had always been her best friend and welcomed her with open arms when Jimmy had left her broken hearted. Even though they had dated for a while, their attempts at intimacy had been awkward. Neither of them had the nerve to discuss it, but the feelings were obviously mutual. Long before Rose met the Doctor, her dating relationship with Mickey had become nothing more than best friends who occasionally shared a passionate kiss. They'd just both been too afraid to admit it.

 

Unlike Jimmy and Mickey, Peter was a grown man, not a boy. Judging by the way he had deftly massaged her in just the right spot to evoke a brilliant orgasm, Peter had bed his share of women. Rose feared she was inadequate. Their love making, she thought, had happened so quickly. A product of the near desperation they had both felt for one another. It had been hot and passionate, leaving little time for the exploration of each other's body. Her train of thought froze. Had she just, in her own mind, referred to this as love making?

As if he'd sensed his cue, Peter's hand slid forward from her hip to wrap around her waist. He nuzzled the curve where her neck and shoulder joined with the stubble of his chin. "What are ye thinking right now?" he murmured.

"'M thinking... that 'm gonna be a bit sore." She giggled and turned in his embrace to face him.

 

"Rose, love, I'm sorry." He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and placed a gentle kiss on her temple. "I... erm... I couldnae help myself. Yer just so bloody gorgeous."

Peter smiled as his hand traced the curves of her body. "So soft... and beautiful... I fancy the arse off ye," he laughed as he smacked her on the bum playfully.

"Oi! Watch it, mister."

Peter pressed his lips against hers and pulled her body flush against him. The kiss was slow and deliberate but not lacking in intensity as their tongues slid against each other. Rose felt all of the insecurities that had been plaguing her melt away. It was as if this kiss was all of the reassurance she needed. Rose felt safe in his arms and she trusted Peter implicitly. As he placed soft kisses on her neck and her hands got lost in his soft hair, Rose resolved not to deny her feelings for him. She completely and absolutely loved Peter Carlisle.

 

Peter's hand moved up her body to cup her cheek, his fingers sliding into her hair, as he leaned back to look at her. "Next time I'll be gentle. I promise." He kissed the tip of her nose. 

 

"Next time?" She arched an eyebrow teasingly.

 

"Aye, if you'll have me," he answered with a flirtatious smile which quickly dissolved into a look of sincerity. "I hope to have many more next times." 

If it had been up to Rose, 'next time' would have begun right away. Instead, their kisses were interrupted by the sound of her mobile.

"Leave it." Peter's mouth roamed from her neck to her breast leaving a path of wet kisses. Rose gasped for air when he covered her nipple with his mouth and began swirling his tongue around it as it hardened. 

"No... I can't. I want to, but I can't. We're expecting an important call. Remember?"

"Nope." Peter released his suction on her nipple with a soft pop. "I cannae think of any call that's more important than," he flicked the taut nub with his tongue, "this nipple."

"You're daft!" She slapped his bare shoulder with a giggle. 

Rose wiggled away from him to retrieve her mobile from the floor. It still lay, just within reach, where she had dropped it when Peter's innocent leg massage had turned into a fury of gropes and gasps. Rose answered the call and immediately sat up straight and pulled her knees to her chest as if trying to conceal her nakedness from the caller. "Oh, Mr. Williams! 'M glad you decided to give us a call."

oOo

An hour after having been paid a visit from Peter Carlisle and Rose Tyler, Rory Williams sat alone in his flat. Detailing the events from the night Amy had disappeared was tormenting. Each time he gave his account, he was thrown into an emotional hell. He blamed himself for giving in to her whim by assisting her with her safety belt. He should have ignored her request to get back out of the car and taken her home as he'd intended. He blamed Amy for being so daft. The way she insisted on messing about at the most inopportune times unnerved him. It had been her idea to go with their mates that night. Even though Rory had suggested they stay in and watch movies, he had finally relented. Amy always knew he could never say no to her. He loved her so much it hurt and pleasing her was all he'd ever wanted to do. Now he'd never again have the chance to even try. 

Tears pricked his eyes and fell freely down his face as he hugged her photograph. The sharp edges of the frame dug into his chest almost painfully as he sat on the edge of his bed. Rory felt empty without Amy. It was as if part of his very being had been ripped away along with her. As painful as it may be for him to visit the old house where he'd last seen her smile, heard her laugh, kissed her lips, he knew it had to be done. He owed it to Amy to aid in the investigation of her unexplained disappearance. 

Rory leaned his head back and dropped onto mattress beneath him. He held Amy's photograph up to look at her one last time and wiped the tears from his face with a defeated groan. Digging one hand into the front pocket of his jeans, he fished out the piece of paper on which Rose Tyler had scribbled her mobile number. After studying the small piece of white paper for several minutes, Rory crumpled it up into his tightened fist. He sprang up from the bed and growled in frustration. He needed to go for a walk - needed to clear his head. Although it was obvious to him what had to be done, he just wasn't ready yet. 

As he stepped out into the afternoon breeze, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and began to walk briskly down the sidewalk. The thunderstorms from earlier in the day had left the air feeling cool and damp. Rory wondered if the chill that sent tremors through him was a result of the drop in temperature or the anxiety caused by the thought of Amy being lost to him forever. Most likely it was a little of both. 

Rory's pace increased, as he crossed a busy intersection just shy of one kilometer from his home. He continued on autopilot as he made his way past familiar houses and places of business. Reaching his destination required little thought. His walks always brought him to the same place. Ever since he was fourteen years old, any time he needed a quiet place to think or contemplate life decisions, he always went to visit his mum. The still damp earth sank beneath his shoes and he stepped through the grass to his favourite spot. The seat always saved just for him - a tree stump just to the left of his mum's gravestone. 

There he sat, elbows on his knees and face in hands, trying to gather his thoughts. He dragged both hands over his face and stared straight ahead as he began talking aloud. 

"Sorry, mum. I've not been by to see you in a week or so. I'd have been here sooner, but..." He choked back a sob as the lump in his throat became harder to swallow. "It's Amy. She's... gone... or something. I don’t know what happened really. She was taken three days ago. I think. Yeah... seems like longer. I miss her so much!" No longer able to fight it, he buried his face in his hands as tears ran down his face. 

He sat there, crying, for what seemed like an eternity. Letting the tears flow freely as the cool air dried them to his face almost as quickly as the streaks appeared. He cried until there was nothing left. As his breathing began to slow and he wiped the dribble from his nose, Rory stood and raked a hand through his hair. He took a deep calming breath and turned to face his mum's resting place. That's when he saw it. Just on the edge of his line of sight, he saw an unfamiliar headstone. 

"Bloo-dy hell." Rory forcefully rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. "No. I've gone mental. There's no way..." 

His voice trailed off as he stepped closer to the tombstone. He had been here in this cemetery, in this very spot, countless times. He could close his eyes and recite the names on surrounding graves from memory. This one was new. But it wasn't new at all. 

"In loving memory," he read the words to himself in a whisper, "Amelia Pond. Born 1920. Died 2007." He shook his head in confusion. Surely his mind was playing tricks. According to the gravestone, Amy died six years ago at the age of 87. 

Rory dropped to his knees in shock. There were a million thoughts racing through his mind but he wasn't able to make sense of a single one. He fumbled in his pocket for his mobile and took a picture of the headstone then looked at the photo displayed on the screen. There they were. The same words he had just read. For some reason he expected it to say something else... anything else. He was still half convinced that he was just imagining it all. He began to laugh. Not because it was funny, but because this was all so unfathomable. 

The small white piece of paper Rose Tyler had given him was hanging out of his pocket. Rory smoothed out the crumpled piece of paper and dialed her number. He continued to stare at Amy's apparent grave in disbelief as the phone rang several times. He would have to leave a voicemail... but what would he say?  How do you explain something that you yourself don't quite understand?

"Hello?" Rose Tyler's voice interrupted his thoughts. 

"Um, hi. Miss Tyler. This is Rory... Rory Williams."

"Oh, Mr. Williams! 'M glad you decided to give us a call." Rose was answered with dead silence on the other end of the call. "Mr. Williams? Rory? Are you still there?"

"Yeah! Sorry. I'm... I'm not sure how to say this," he stammered. "I, uh, I don't really know what's even happened but..."

"Rory, are you okay?" Rose glanced up to see Peter slipping his trousers back on. She pointed to his jumper and gestured for him to toss it to her. Quickly slipping it on, she wiggled her fingers at Peter and winked when he took her hand and slid up close to her on the sofa. 

"Yeah. I'm okay. I think so. I mean... I think I know where Amy is."

"You're kidding!" Rose jumped to her feet. "We can be at your flat in ten..."

"No! Sorry. No. That's the thing - I'm not home. Okay this is where you tell me I'm just being daft but... Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you know about time travel?"


	8. Chapter 8

Mickey Smith had spent the past hour searching the Torchwood database for any bit of information available about aliens posing as statues. Particularly angel statues with the ability to make a person dematerialize right before your eyes.  Luck had not been on his side as he had come up empty handed. He slumped back in his chair and scrubbed a hand over his face as he mumbled a string of obscenities to himself in frustration. 

"Oi! Watch your mouth, pal!" Tosh said teasingly as she approached his desk. "What's the problem? Haven't heard from Rose or Peter yet?"

"Yeah, I have. That's the problem. Oh, thanks." He sighed and took the bottle of Vitex Tosh offered. "I've looked everywhere and I can't find anything about the creature Rose says took this girl. Guess we're dealing with something new."

"Something new? Does that mean..." A wide grin spread across her face as she spoke. "Road trip?"

"Might do." Mickey waggled his eyebrows and laughed. He had to admit that the idea of getting out of Cardiff for a case sounded exciting even if it meant they were headed into unfamiliar territory. Sometimes the cases which wete the most mysterious ended up being the best ones. Then again, sometimes they were just a right pain in the arse. "Rose thinks we are dealing with some type of angel statue... thing. Reckon it just touched this Amelia Pond girl and she vanished just like that," he said with a snap of his fingers. 

"Did you say angel statue?" Ianto walked in carrying several packets of hot chips and began to pass them around. "I figured we'd be too busy for a proper break so I stopped at the chippy for everyone. Where's Owen?"

"He's still looking after our pink lady," Mickey smiled. "Thanks, mate. Didn't even realize how hungry I was." He popped a chip in his mouth and stood from his chair. 

"Yeah, so Rose says the eye witness, some Williams bloke, said it was a statue that came to life or sumthin." Mickey began to pace around the room as he chewed thoughtfully.  "Never heard of anything like it before."

"That's not new. I've heard of them." Ianto arched an eyebrow and grinned. "They're in the archives."

"Nope. I've been searching the database for over an hour. There's nothing there."

"Oh I didn't say they were on the electronic database," Ianto smiled. "There's a case in the old archives. Handwritten and possibly buried deep in one of those boxes back there." He nodded to a storage room which was filled to the brim with boxes of files containing information about old Torchwood cases. When the agency had gone paperless decades earlier, most of the information had been entered into the computer database. But not all. There were still countless alien encounters that existed only on paper collecting dust in the storage room located in the back of the hub. 

"Please say you're havin me on, Yan. Finding the file we need in that room could take forever." Mickey rolled his eyes and sank back into his chair. In all the time he had spent in this universe, working for Torchwood, he had never bothered himself with the boxes of archives. In fact, Mickey deliberately avoided the archive room. The very thought of spending hours - maybe even days - digging through the old files made his eyes cross. He'd much rather take that road trip Tosh suggested. 

"Wish I was, but I'm not. I remember reading it back when we packed all those up. They are some sort of quantum locked creatures. As long as you're looking at it - it's frozen like a stone statue. Then as soon as you turn your head, they come to life. I can't remember much else..." His voiced trailed off as Ianto tried to recall as much as he could about the statues. 

"So... what do I tell Rose?"

"Tell her to stay away from it. At least until we find the file and can get it sorted," Ianto shrugged. "There's not much else she can do before then. She needs to talk to the local police and make sure they keep the area closed off. If anyone else ventures too close, they'll be zapped."

"Right. Well, Tosh, so much for that road trip," Mickey smirked. "Fancy a trip to the storage room?"

Tosh slapped him playfully on the shoulder. "As if I had a choice! Come along, Yan." She looped an arm around Ianto's and pulled him in the direction of the room full of dusty old files. "We may as well get started while he phones Rose."

oOo

Rose stood frozen with her mobile to her ear for several beats. Had she heard Rory right? Had he just asked her about time travel? But what could that possibly have to do with the disappearance of Amelia Pond? Furthermore, how truthful should she be with her answer? Obviously Rory could have no way of knowing that she in fact knew a lot about time travel. The Doctor and Rose had all of time and space at their disposal while traveling in the TARDIS. To be honest, Rory would never believe her if she began to share all that she had learned about time travel in the two years she'd spent with The Doctor.

"I knew it. You think it sounds ridiculous." Rory's words brought Rose out of her reverie but she was stunned with confusion. "Even _I think_ it sounds ridiculous but-"

"No! Sorry! No, Rory, I don't think it's ridiculous. I just don't quite understand what this has to do with Amy is all."

"What if the statue sent Amy back in time?"

"Well... I suppose it's not impossible..." Rose still couldn't understand why Rory was suddenly going on about time travel. "But I still don't know why you -"

"Look, I'm at the cemetery. I'm standing here looking at what appears to be Amy's grave." His voice caught as he told Rose about the headstone that stood firmly in the ground before him. "It has her name on it and clearly says she died six years ago at he age of 87. Rose, this grave wasn't here a week ago. I don't know how or why, but I'm certain that _thing_ did this to her."

Rose was completely gobsmacked. If what Rory said was true and the angel statue had come to life and transported Amy back in time with just the touch of its hand, they were dealing with something she had never encountered. And possibly more dangerous than any of the aliens she had dealt with since she began working for Torchwood. The sound of another incoming call interrupted her thoughts and Rose pulled the phone from her ear to check the display. It was Mickey calling. He would have to wait. 

"Rory," her words were calm despite the uncertainty slowly filling her mind, "I need you to stay away from that house, yeah?  If you're right about Amy and the others who disappeared, that statue is very dangerous.  I'm going to let my team back in Cardiff know what you've just told me. We'll see what we can find out. I'll be in touch, okay?"

"Yeah, okay. Thanks." Rory traced his finger over the name engraved on the headstone. Amelia Pond. His Amy had lived her life in the past. Without him. "Rose? Do you... I mean... is there any way to get her back?"

Rose wished she could reassure him. She wanted to be able to give him the answer he needed to hear, but she couldn't. In all honesty, she knew that Amy was likely gone forever. "I'm not sure, Rory, but I promise to try my damnedest."

It wasn't until she rang off that Rose realized Peter had stepped into the bedroom to take a call of his own. She laughed to herself and shook her head. Of course Mickey couldn't wait ten minutes for her to return his call. She stepped toward the bedroom and leaned against the door jamb with crossed arms. 

"Tell him patience is a virtue. I woulda called -" Peter interrupted her by raising a hand and shaking his head. 

"Aye, Peter Carlisle. I'm holding for DI Blythe." He spoke into his mobile and then turned away from Rose as if seeking some privacy. 

Of course she could take a hint. Rose pushed off of the door jamb and returned to the sofa to collect her clothes. Her knickers had been flung across the room and she was having trouble finding her bra but she couldn't stop smiling as she recalled the the feel of Peter's hands on her body. How it felt as he kissed her hungrily, the heat of his touch, and the way he felt inside of her. A shiver made its way from the bottom of her spine to the back of her neck causing goose flesh to form. Looking back to see Peter still engrossed in conversation on his mobile, Rose decided now would be the perfect opportunity to slip away to shower. 

She turned the shower on and tested the temperature with her hand. Maybe it would be helpful if the water was just a bit colder than she preferred. She needed to focus more of her thoughts on work and less on the pressure of Peter's fingers digging into her hips as he held her still while thrusting himself inside her. 

"You are hopeless!" Rose smiled to herself as she removed Peter's jumper she had been wearing and stepped into the shower. The frigid stream of water took her breath as it sprayed over her body. It was just the shock she needed to pause the replay of Peter's lips and tongue on her body in her mind's eye. 

As Rose massaged shampoo into her hair, she began to ponder the conversation she'd had with Rory Williams. His ideas about what had happened to Amelia Pond were incredible but certainly not impossible. She and Peter would need to visit the cemetery and have a look at the grave Rory had mentioned. Local archives could possibly have old pictures and news articles about the woman now buried there. If they could just get their eyes on a photograph to be sure it was in fact Rory's Amy then they could be certain of the kind of alien they were dealing with. 

Since it obviously wasn't Mickey that Peter had been talking to on his mobile, Rose decided she would ring him back before meeting with Rory. Hopefully Torchwood would have information about this mysterious statue creature. Maybe Mickey had been calling to tell her just that. 

She closed her eyes and tilted her head back to let water wash over her face as she rinsed the suds from her hair. The shower temperature was still cool against her skin and she thought warming it up would help loosen the tight muscles on her shoulders. Scrubbing her hands over her face and wiping the water from her eyes, she nearly jumped out of her skin when she opened them to find Peter watching her. His lean frame relaxed against the wall as he held the shower curtain back just enough to have an unobstructed view of her naked body. 

"Bloody hell, Peter! You scared me." Rose crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to cover her breasts. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen every inch of her bare flesh bent over the arm of the sofa two hours before, but at the moment Rose felt shy. The way he looked at her as if he were gazing through her, into her soul, made her feel self conscious. 

"I'm sorry. I was coming to tell ye we have an appointment with the DI in charge of Amelia's case. I was just going to my room to clean up, but I didnae want to leave without telling ye first." His eyes trailed from her head to her toes and back again, admiring every curve of Rose's wet body. "Didnae want ye to think I just left."

"Oh. Okay, thanks."

"I was a bit distracted by finding you all wet and naked." His voice was low and husky as he locked his eyes with hers. His usual chocolate brown eyes were darkened further by arousal and Rose dropped her hands to her sides revealing herself to him completely. 

"You like what you see then?" She grinned that grin she now knew he loved so much. With the tiniest tip of her tongue peaking out between her teeth. 

"Aye. Very, very much." He licked his lips and smiled. "Don't suppose ye want some company?" He began unbuttoning his trousers before she could voice a reply. He pushed them down over his narrow hips and stepped out of them while Rose followed their path with her eyes. Her gaze returned to his face as he stood waiting for permission. 

"'S a very small shower." She choked as her eyes once again wandered down his body memorizing every freckle on his chest. "But if you want..."

"Oh, yes, I want." Peter stepped into the shower and closed the curtain. His body only a hairsbreadth from being pressed against hers. "Ye might need to shift just a little," he whispered as he placed his hands on her hips to move her slightly to the left so he could join her under the spray of tepid water. 

 

"Rose! How d'ye stand it this cold?" He adjusted the lever until the shower head began to cover them in steaming hot water. "That's more like it," he husked. 

Peter placed his hands on Rose's shoulders and began to slide them along the outsides of her arms. Gliding his touch down her wet skin, he nuzzled the spot on her neck just below her ear. 

"Yer so beautiful, Rose." His hot breath on her skin caused her to shiver as he ran his tongue along the shell of her ear and inched his body even closer to hers. "Turn around." Rose turned in his arms without a word. Peter brushed her wet hair to the side and placed open mouthed kisses on the back of her neck. His mouth left a hot trail from her neck to the middle of her back as he traced her spine with his tongue. 

Kneeling behind her, Peter took the soap in his hands and worked up a lather. He began smoothing his soapy hands over her legs. Starting at her ankles and sliding over her calf muscles, he continued over the backs of her legs and stopped on her bum, giving it a light squeeze. He leaned closer and placed a flutter of kisses on her lower back as his hands moved around her hips and down the length of the front of her legs. 

"Oh, Peter." Her breath hitched and her knees weakened beneath his touch. Rose leaned back against him and the smattering of course hair on his chest brushing against her bum evoked a moan from deep within her. 

Peter stood behind her and smeared his hands over every inch of her back. Gliding up and over her shoulders to work his way to her chest. He covered both of her breasts with his soapy hands and massaged her mounds of soft flesh before sliding his touch to her stomach and pulling her body flush with his. 

Rose felt him pressed hard against her back as he began placing a line of kisses along the side of her neck. She turned her face to capture his mouth with hers. Their tongues tasting and teeth nibbling each others lips as the water rinsed the suds from her body. 

 

"We should take this to the bedroom," Rose said as she pulled back for air. Her breathing had turned to panting and she was aching for release. Peter's touches had brought her to the brink and it wouldn't take much to send her falling over the edge. 

"No." Peter traced the side of her face with the back of his knuckles. His other hand moved across her navel and down into her curls. "I just want to touch you here." He rubbed a finger along her slit as he spoke. "Is this okay, Rose?"

 

"Yeah. 'S okay... I just... no one has ever made me come by doing this." Rose felt her face flush as she admitted her lack of experience. She was thankful that Peter couldn't see her embarrassment as he still embraced her from behind.

 

"Let me be yer first." Peter turned her face to his and kissed her slowly and passionately. "And yer last." 

 

Rose nodded and Peter moved them so that his back was pressed against the wall of the shower. He held Rose against him, her back to his front, draping her left leg over his arm to open her sex to him. Peter slipped a slender finger between her folds then spread her wetness around her clit in a circular motion. Then dipping further down her slit he slid his middle finger deep inside her heat and began to pump in and out while his lips latched onto her earlobe. Biting and sucking it into his mouth then releasing it with a pop. A second finger pushed inside of her and Rose bucked up against his hand. Peter curled his fingers inside of her while his thumb pressed against her clit in a perfect way that caused her to lose control. 

Rose threw her hands up above her head and tangled them in Peter's hair as his fingers were buried in her heat. Her inner walls began to tighten as she came apart in his arms screaming his name. He continued his ministrations in an effort to prolong her orgasm until he felt her body go limp against him. 

Peter lowered the leg he'd been holding up and turned Rose to face him. He peppered her face with soft kisses and hugged her close to him. 

"Th-that was... fantastic." Rose smiled up at him. As she spoke she realized her throat felt strained from screaming in ecstasy. It was a price worth paying. 

"No, yer fantastic." He dropped his head to place a kiss on her forehead. "Rose Tyler, you are brilliant."

 


	9. Chapter 9

Peter stood under the spray of the shower until the water turned uncomfortably cool. He stepped out onto the tiled floor and began to dry off on the towel Rose had left for him. Rose. This woman had consumed his thoughts from the moment he had met her. At first, it was thoughts of how bloody frustrating she was. The way she would manage to avoid being in the same room with him for days at a time was maddening. Especially because he had been so attracted to her even against his better judgment. 

But now - things had shifted - over the course of just a few days their relationship had completely changed. His mind was flooded with images of Rose's silky blonde hair, soft bare skin, and her tongue touched smile that drove him crazy with want.   
   
"Steady on!" Peter murmured to himself as he felt his blood begin to rush to one central location - below the waist. He scrubbed the towel over his wet hair with a bit more force than necessary. Trying unsuccessfully to clear his mind of thoughts of Rose just as she gently knocked on the bathroom door.   
   
"Are ya decent?" she asked as she opened the door only enough to peek her head inside.   
   
"Never," Peter replied with a waggle of his eyebrows as he secured the towel around his hips.   
   
"I figured as much." Rose pushed the door completely open and leaned her shoulder against the door jamb. "Since my time in the shower took a bit longer than expected," her tongue peeking through her teeth as she grinned, "we really need to hurry to meet your DI friend. Looks like we are gonna be a little late. Not that I'm complaining about the extra time in the shower or anything..." 

Her voice trailed off as Peter closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pulled her close to him and she raised her hands to rest on his bare shoulders. His skin was still warm from the shower and Rose wanted to map every inch of it with her fingers. She began smoothing her hands down his biceps then back up to his shoulders and brought them around to the back of his neck. Her fingers toyed with his damp hair at the nape of his neck as he rubbed light circles on the small of her back. They stood for a few beats just smiling at each other. Both perfectly content to stand there all afternoon in silent awe of one another. Then Peter stilled and his eyes darted away from her gaze. He suddenly seemed uneasy as he opened his mouth to speak but said nothing.   
   
"What? What's wrong, Peter?" Rose's brow furrowed as he let out a heavy sigh.  
   
"Clothes," he said and pressed his lips in a straight line. "My clean clothes are in my room. Two doors down."   
   
"'S that all?" She smacked his shoulder playfully and giggled when he yelped in mock pain. "I thought something was wrong!"  
   
"Rose Tyler!" Before she knew what was happening, Peter had scooped her up in his arms, carried her out of the en suite, and unceremoniously tossed her onto the bed.  Rose squealed with laughter as she landed on her back on top of the duvet.

"Et's nae funny! I don't fancy going out into the hallway in nothing but this towel." He stood with his hands on his hips and feigned seriousness for all of five seconds before a grin began tugging at the corners of his mouth.   
   
As her fit of giggles began to subside, Rose sat up on the bed and gave Peter an appraising look. He was beautiful. His hair was beginning to dry into a tousled mess and the lean muscles on his arms and chest were just begging to be touched. She raised up on her knees and extended her hand to him but Peter remained standing with hands on his hips. 

"Nope. Say sorry," he smirked.   
   
Rose moved to sit on the edge of the bed where she could easily reach him. "Don't fancy going out in a towel, eh?" She ran a finger along the line of hair just below his navel and followed it to the edge of the towel sitting low on his hips. Her finger danced along the edge of the towel before she gave it a quick tug and it dropped to the floor. "Oops," she smiled coyly.   
   
"Yer a little minx, Miss Tyler."  
   
"'M not sure what you mean, Mr. Carlisle." Rose placed a hand on each of his hips and pulled him a step closer to her. His cock twitched as he felt her hot breath on his skin. She ran her tongue over his right hip bone and then the left one as her hands slid around to squeeze his arse and pull him even closer.   
   
"Rose." His breath was ragged and his words were barely more than a whisper. "Rose, what d'ye... OH!" He gasped as she wrapped her hand around the base of his erection and took him in her mouth. She ran her tongue along the under side before gently scraping her teeth over the sensitive tip.   
   
"You taste so good," she breathed against his hardened cock before once again taking him fully into her mouth.   
   
"Oh fuck, Rose!" Peter growled as he placed one hand on the back of her head and began gently stroking her hair. He looked down at her as she continued her ministrations. Seeing his cock engulfed in her gorgeous mouth nearly put him over the edge. With his other hand, he traced the line of her face with the backs of his fingers as Rose glanced up to see him watching her.  She pulled back and made a show of licking her lips, eliciting a groan from Peter. With a satisfied grin she continued to lick and suck while cupping his balls in her hand.   
   
"Mmmm we are gonna be very late," Peter whispered as Rose did impossible things with her tongue. Brilliant impossible things.   
   
oOo  
   
Rose and Peter arrived at McCrimmon Lane a quarter of an hour later than they were expected. They parked on the side of the street just down from the old abandoned house. The police had blocked off the end where the house was located to keep the locals as far away as possible after Peter had talked with the DI on the case. This meant the two of them would still have to walk at least two hundred yards before reaching McCreepy's - as Rory Williams had called it - making them later still. Neither of them could be bothered to care much as they were both laughing about Peter bumping into an elderly lady in the hallway of the hotel... clad in nothing more than his towel.  
   
"You, Rose Tyler, lied to me!" Peter accused as they exited their black SUV. "I still firmly believe ye saw her coming when ye gave me the 'all clear'!"  
   
"Did not! 'M tellin ya she came from nowhere." Rose teasingly poked Peter's ribs. "But the look on your face - smiling all smug at me over your shoulder - when you whipped around and nearly knocked her to the floor. Priceless!"  
   
Peter pulled her close to his side and Rose snaked an arm around his waist as they made their way to the house. He bent down to kiss the crown of her head and rested his chin there as they walked.   
   
"Thank you, Rose." The words were spoken against her hair as he tightened his arm around her shoulders.   
   
"For what?" Rose turned her head up to look at him.  
   
"Well, the missing person investigation aside," Peter winked, "This has been one of the best days I've had in... well... a very long time. So, thank you."  
   
Rose stretched her neck up to place a kiss on the corner of his mouth. "You're right. It's been lovely. Thanks, Peter."   
   
They shared a smile and both turned their eyes forward at the same time to see someone walking in their direction. Rose felt Peter stiffen almost immediately. He casually dropped his arm from around her and cleared his throat nervously. Although Rose would agree they should maintain a professional distance while they met with the authorities, she couldn't help feeling a pang of disappointment at how quickly Peter pulled away from her. The change in his whole demeanor was hard to miss and she didn't like it. Something about him seemed to shift but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.   
   
Peter raised his hand up in a wave to the approaching detective. The other man simply responded with a nod and Peter shoved his hands in his pockets while he quickened his pace. Rose tried to walk faster as well but couldn't keep with the stride Peter's long legs afforded him. He caught up to the detective just before she did and Rose thought the man said something about Peter still liking a bit of skirt. _Did he really just say that? Was he referring to her?_  
   
"Well look at wee Blythe." Peter seemed to say the words with a bit of disgust. "You were always my favourite DC."  
   
"It's Detective Inspector Blythe now, Carlisle." The man tilted his chin up and looked down his nose at Peter as he spoke.  
   
"Aye. Quite right," Peter replies with a tight smile as the two men stood nearly toe to toe with each other.   
   
"Hi," Rose thought if she hadn't known better it would look as if they were about to throw punches at each other. "I'm Rose Tyler. I lead the team from Cardiff sent down to further investigate this most recent disappearance."   
   
"DI Bryan Blythe." He shook hands with Rose. "When you say 'team from Cardiff' you mean to say Torchwood. Am I right?"  
   
"Aye," Peter answered for her. "Torchwood is a real organization. And yes, most of what ye've heard is true."  
   
"Well, most of what I've heard is aliens and monsters. A bit unbelievable, really. What's that to do with this case?" Blythe directed his question back at Rose.   
   
"Unfortunately, DI Blythe, we are still awaiting clearance that would allow us to share all of that information with you. Should be able to talk more about the case tomorrow morning. As for now, what I can tell you is that we have reason to believe this is a special case which requires the expertise of Torchwood. The area around that house is extremely dangerous and it'd be great if you could keep officers here around the clock to be sure no one gets too close. The rest of my team in Cardiff have been doing some fact finding research today and we should know more about exactly what we are dealing with before the morning."  
   
"Right. Well you'll forgive me, Miss Tyler, if I'm a bit skeptical. But I suppose-"  
   
"We've been given this case by a higher authority than you," Peter interrupted. "So forgive us, wee Blythe, if we don't give a toss about yer skepticism."   
   
DI Blythe glared at Peter for a second then turned back to Rose. "As I was saying... I suppose I'll get a couple of officers out here to watch the place. I'll expect to hear more from you in the morning."  
   
"Great! Thank you very much, Detective Inspector."  Rose attempted a friendly smile but she was sure he could see her irritation.   
   
"You're welcome, Miss Tyler." DI Blythe looked at Peter and then tilted his head to the side as if in deep thought. "Tell me, Miss Tyler, is Carlisle your... I mean are you his...?"  
   
"His boss?  Yeah. I am." Rose knew that wasn't the question DI Blythe was hinting to. But that was the only answer she was giving him. She turned on her heels and began to walk away when DI Blythe continued talking.   
   
"His boss. Right. I guess I should warn you that he can be easily distracted." Peter glared at Blythe as if daring him to say more. Then, accepting the unspoken challenge, Blythe moved in closer to Peter before adding, "Maybe I'm out of line. Is it only when wives are involved, Peter?"  
   
"You'd be wise to cut the shite. _Right. Now._ " Peter stood, fists clenched and chest heaving, almost nose to nose with Blythe. Although Rose still had no idea what they were on about, she could see that Peter was absolutely furious.   
   
"Oi, Carlisle, that's enough!" Peter snapped his head in her direction but Rose only returned his glare. She hadn't had to pull her bloke away from a fist fight since she was sixteen and she wasn't about to do it now. The two men were behaving like children and she'd bloody well had her fill of it.  
   
"We are done here." She looked at Blythe and then back to Peter before turning her back to them and walking away.   
   
Rose never turned to look but she knew Peter was following close behind her. Even though her mind was flooded with questions, neither of them spoke during the walk back to their vehicle.  

Once inside the SUV, Peter slammed his door shut and began muttering to himself in Gaelic. Rose only picked up on a few words as she stared out her window, but it was enough to gather that he would not be having Blythe over for tea and biscuits any time soon. 

The rest of their drive to the hotel was spent in silence. It wasn't until Peter parked the car and turned off the ignition that Rose finally spoke.   
   
"What the hell happened back there?" She had hoped Peter would offer her an explanation without her asking. She had waited the entire ride back for him to say something, but he obviously wasn't going to make this easy.   
   
"Nothing."   
   
"Nothing. Yeah, okay. That was nothing. So stupid of me to ask." Rose opened her door and jumped out of the SUV. This was complete rubbish and she was done. If Peter wouldn't talk to her about it then she couldn't even look at him right now.   
   
Rose reached the door to her room and went inside. She closed the door behind her without looking to see of Peter was following her. With her back pressed against it, she waited and listened for any sign that he was coming after her. When she heard the door to his room slam shut, she shuttered and slid down the door to sit on the floor.   
   
"Brilliant. So much for this perfect day." Rose pulled her knees up to her chest and leaned her head back against the door, staring up at the ceiling. She started when felt rather than heard a soft knock behind her. So quiet that if she hadn't been leaning against the wood, she'd never have heard the sound.   
   
"Rose, please let me in." Peter's voice was muffled as if his face was pressed against the door. He continued to tap a soft knock as he pleaded. "Rose? Please..."  
   
She stood from her spot on the floor and opened the door to find that Peter was in fact leaning against it. His shoulders were sagging and the distraught look he gave her caused tears to pool in her eyes.   
   
"I'm sorry. I shouldnae acted like an arse back there and I shouldnae tried to blow you off." Peter placed his hand over the hand Rose was holding the door open with. She didn't speak. She only looked at him with unshed tears in her eyes. He then leaned closer to place a kiss on the hand he was holding. "Let me in?"  
   
Rose stepped back and opened the door further to let Peter inside. He pulled her into a tight hug before she could close it behind him. Rose wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest. She could feel his heart beating against her cheek and she held him even tighter.   
   
"'M sorry I stormed off like tha-" Rose began but Peter just squeezed her closer.  
   
"No. Et's nae yer fault. I'm so so sorry, Rose." He kissed her shoulder and nuzzled her hair with a heavy sigh. Then he loosened his hold on her and pulled away enough to look her in the eye. "I need to tell you about Blackpool."  
   
oOo  
   
After two hours of sorting boxes in the back room of Torchwood, the team was finally ready to begin digging through the files. Several years before, when the boxes had been filled with files and packed away, there had actually been a method to what now looked like pure madness. Each box had a sticker label affixed to the side which had been signed by the Torchwood agent who packed it. This made the task at hand a bit simpler since they knew they would only need to look in boxes that Ianto had signed off on. 

Now all eight of those boxes had been stacked by Mickey's desk and Tosh, Ianto, and himself each grabbed a box.   
   
"Each box holds one to three hundred files - depending on how thick they were. Some cases had more information than others." Ianto sat his first box on a chair in front of him and began to pull out all of its contents. "We wrote the name of the alien the case relates to on the outside of the folder. Unfortunately, you'll have to pull them all out to see what's written on the front."  
   
"Yeah, mate, when all this is over you remind me that we need to record the rest of these in the computer," Mickey groaned. "Cos this is rubbish!"  
   
"Quite," Ianto agreed. "I'm fairly certain we are looking for a folder that is labeled 'Quantum Locked Statues'. The actual name for this particular creature was never recorded in the file so that's the description I wrote on the front."  
   
"Right. Well, this mess should only take the entire day and night to sort." Tosh rolled her eyes as she opened her box to find she had picked one with closer to three hundred folders to sift through.   
   
Three hours and five sorted boxes later, Mickey suggested they step out for dinner. With only three boxes left to dig through, he was in dire need of a break. He was sure that Tosh and Yan could use an hour or so away from the hub as well. 

The three of them walked in companionable silence for two blocks to their favourite cafe. It had been an exhausting day and the cool evening breeze was refreshing. Mickey hoped that Rose and Peter were having better luck on this case in Glynneath than he'd had here in Cardiff. So far he, Tosh, and Ianto had spent nearly six hours sorting boxes and digging through old files and they were still no closer to planning a defense against the stone angels than when they had began.   
   
It was nearly 8:00 pm by the time the three Torchwood agents made their way back to the hub. They had taken more time than necessary with dinner, mentally preparing themselves to work through the night. 

They rounded the final corner of their journey back and stepped onto the familiar street where their Torchwood hub was located. Suddenly their usual banter was interrupted by a disturbance in the air around them. Mickey froze in his steps as the hairs on his arms stood straight up and a bone tingling chill coursed through his body.  
   
"You both feel that, yeah?" Mickey's voice was a low whisper as he looked at Tosh and then Ianto.  They both nodded in silent agreement. They had all felt it. But what was it?  
   
No sooner had the question formed in his mind when Mickey was nearly blinded by a flash of blue light that burst just outside the doors of the hub. The bright light lasted for half a second before disappearing to reveal the outline of a man crouched on the ground. Mickey's eyes struggled to focus on the shadowy figure as his pupils suffered the after effects of the blue flash that had preceded the mystery man's appearance.   
   
"Teleport," Ianto whispered. "That man - or thing - just teleported here."  
   
"Yeah, mate, I can see that." Mickey took a few steps forward and continued to squint his eyes in an attempt to focus on their visitor.   
   
"Mickey!" Tosh grabbed his arm. "Don't. We don't know who or wha-"  
   
Just then, their mystery teleporting friend stood to his full height beginning to look around and assess his surroundings. It was at that moment, when a nearby street lamp cast enough light on the figure, that Mickey saw the distinct outline of a tall man in a long trench coat. His jaw dropped in disbelief and a gasp turned laugh escaped him.   
   
"It's okay," Mickey grinned. "I know 'im. He's gonna help Rose."


	10. Chapter 10

Once the initial shock and excitement of realizing Captain Jack Harkness had just materialized outside of the Torchwood hub wore off, Mickey was overcome with a sinking feeling. The Captain Jack of this universe wouldn't know him... or Rose. What if this version of Jack was a complete wanker? Maybe he wasn't here to help at all.   
   
"Sod it," Mickey said to no one in particular as he continued along the pavement in Captain Jack's direction. Ianto and Tosh reluctantly followed close behind. As they closed most of the distance between them, Mickey thought he saw a spark of recognition in Jack's eye as he began to saunter toward the three Torchwood agents.   
   
"Well, well, well... if it isn't my favorite rodent. Mickey Mouse." Jack cocked his head to the side and shoved his hands in his pockets as he stood with a smirk on his face.   
   
"Captain Cheesecake." Mickey couldn't suppress the relieved grin that was slowly taking over his face. "But how the hell did-"   
   
Mickey's question was cut short as Jack pulled him into a bone crushing hug and lifted him off of the ground.   
   
"I never thought I'd ever be so glad to see your idiot face in my life!" Jack spun Mickey around in the air and laughs aloud.   
   
"Oi! Put me down, you daft sonuva-"  
   
"Yeah, yeah, okay." Jack loosened his hold on Mickey and placed his feet back on the pavement. Then he turned his attention to the two agents standing just beyond Mickey and his face split into a wide grin once more. "Aren't you gonna introduce me to your lovely friends, Mickey?"  
   
"Yeah, sorry. Captain Jack Harkness, this is Ianto Jones and Toshiko Soto." Mickey turned to Tosh and Ianto. "This is Captain Jack. He's from the other universe... where Rose and me should be... I mean, where we are supposed to be."  
   
Jack flashed his winning smile and shook the hands of Tosh and Ianto.   
   
"Nice to meet you," Tosh said as she nervously turned away from Jack's flirtatious gaze.   
   
"It's a pleasure." Ianto shook the proffered hand and smiled.   
   
"Oh, you gorgeous Welshman, you really have no idea," Jack growled as he leaned in to speak into Ianto's ear.   
   
"Oi! Don't start," Mickey warned him as Jack shrugged innocently. "How the hell did you get here?"  
   
"Long story but basically there are some weak spots in the breach between universes. There have been for a while now.  We aren't sure what caused it, but it seems to be something on your end. My team and I were dealing with a group of Weeping Angels yesterday when one somehow hopped over here for a visit. I've come to take her back."  
   
"Wait. Weeping Angel? That statue thing that's been zapping people out of existence? You know how to stop it?"  
   
"Mickey, what do you mean 'zapping people'? Where is she?"  
   
"In Glynneath. That's where Rose is now. She went to investigate a missing person case and found your stone friend there. But that thing has been here longer than a day... at least a month. 'Cos that's when people started disappearing."  
   
Jack rubbed a hand over his face with a heavy sigh. He blinked several times, deep in thought, and began to slowly shake his head. Mickey could plainly see that whatever conclusions Jack was coming to - they weren't good. 

"Damn it!" Jack began to pace as his agitation grew. "Things are even more wibbly wobbly than we thought. The angel was just with us a day ago in my universe... but an entire month has passed in your universe. I need to talk to Rose right away. Give me your phone."   
   
"Let's get back inside first, yeah?" Mickey dug his mobile out of his back pocket and handed it to Jack as they all made their way inside the hub. "Rose is speed dial 2."   
   
"She's number 2? Who is number 1? Don't tell me there's another woman in your life." Jack grinned as he slid his thumb across the touch screen to unlock the phone.  

Jack never could pass up a chance to take the piss. Mickey would have been annoyed if he wasn't so damn happy to see the bloody sod.   
   
"Speed dial 1 is my gran. But I'll have you know I've been seeing someone. A girl... a doctor actually... a very beautiful young doctor." Mickey puffed up and crossed his arms across his chest.   
   
"Well, good for you. What about Rosie? She seeing anybody?"  
   
A slow grin crept across Mickey's face as he imagined Jack meeting Peter face to face. 

"Yeah, mate. Just wait till you see 'im.  You won't even believe it."  
   
oOo  
   
"This cannae be happening. This is NOT actually happening!" Peter ran his hand through his hair in frustration. When Rose lifted her head to look at him, the fury in his eyes caused her to flinch. Despite his very apparent anger, he lowered his voice and continued calmly.  Slowly and deliberately enunciating each word. "You tell me that you are stuck here. Stuck, Rose, and ye spent years trying to get back to a man you are hopelessly in love with. A man whose face looks so much like my own that - for months - you went to great lengths to avoid me. Because looking at me hurt too much." 

He took a deep breath and pressed his tongue to the back of his teeth as he slowly exhaled. It was taking no small effort to keep his frustration in check.   
   
"Then suddenly... yer over it! Ye've decided ye like it here. Ye've decided ye like me. Now ye cannae even see the other bloke when ye look at me. Brilliant!" His feigned excitement made Rose even angrier but she didn't interrupt him. "And I accepted this, Rose. D'ye know why? Because I wanted to believe someone like you could actually wanna be with someone like me. Even if it was only to do with the man you left behind. I wanted a chance to show you that we could be good together. That I was just as worthy of yer affection as he was."  
   
"Peter, that's not-"  
   
"No! I don't want yer explanations now. Not when yer telling ME that I'm using YOU."   
   
"You made it perfectly clear, Peter. Everything you said about Natalie and your situation in Blackpool - 's the same thing you're doing with me."  
   
He stared at her, unblinking. Rose could see swarm of emotions pass over his face - anger, disbelief, bewilderment...

"This is very different!" His eyes filled with unshed tears. "So yer not the first woman I've fallen for... and in a short span of time-"  
   
"But you admit it was only lust! You didn't care about her really. You said it yourself. If she hadn't decided to stay with her husband instead of leaving with you, then you would both be miserable by now. You were both vulnerable.  You were both looking for something more. You were both in the wrong place at the wrong time. That's us right now, Peter."  
   
"But et's not, Rose." Peter moved to stand closer to her and ran the backs of his fingers along her cheek. "This is different. When we made love-"  
   
"Stop it!" Rose pulled away from his touch. "You didn't make love to me, you shagged me. There's a difference."  
   
Her words were like a stab in the gut. Peter wanted to grab her by the arms and squeeze. Maybe if he clutched hard enough, the misery would travel from his grip to her bones, and then she would feel the pain she was causing him. The only thing stopping him was knowing he would hurt her. Hurting Rose was the last thing he wanted to do - physically or otherwise.

"How can ye pretend ye don't know?" His voice was thick as he searched her face for some acknowledgment of the feelings he knew they shared. "There's more between us. We both know that. I cannae explain it but you must feel it too." 

Rose wiped her cheeks with the back of her sleeve. She was trying so hard not to cry but seeing him like this - broken - hurt more than she could have ever imagined.   
   
"You're right. As much as I avoided you at work - there was something. Something drawing me to you no matter how much I tried to fight it. I thought I was mad. I thought it was because you looked like the Doctor. You're nothing at all like him really, but just looking at you... I thought that's why I couldn't stop thinking about you. Then all this happened so fast." Rose gestured at the space between them with her hand. "I thought that if you felt it too, then maybe it wasn't such a daft idea. Maybe it was something real instead of just something in my head. Now I know you're just as messed up as I am. 'S fine really. Better that we end this now instead of in six months, yeah?"  
   
"Rose, this isn't the same. I'm nae the same man I was in Blackpool. Natalie was a distraction. I liked her - thought I loved her - but I was sick of my life. After my wife left, work consumed me because it was all I had. I was good at it. But by the time I worked the case in Blackpool I was sick of it. I needed a change and I thought she was the answer. I fancied running away from everything and starting fresh.  I didnae think I could do it without Natalie." Peter winced and rolled his eyes. "Et's nae the most brilliant plan I've ever had. 

"I'm glad she decided to stay with Ripley because that's when I realized I had crossed a line. I was willing to let a murder go unsolved if she would just leave town with me. That's not me, Rose!" The corner of his mouth turned up into something like a half smile. 

"I resigned after that and Blythe took over the case. I spent a year hating myself for what I'd nearly done in Blackpool. I'm trying to keep the past in the past now. That's why I hadn't told you about it. Not because I was afraid you'd think my feelings for you weren't real. Because they are. Very much." He grabbed her hand and held it to his chest "Rose, I lo-"  
   
"Don't!  Don't even say it." Rose removed her hand from his grasp. "You should go now, Peter. We have a lot of work to do here and let's just try to focus on that, yeah?"  
   
"I don't want to go. I want to fix this. I want to tell you I love you. I want to give us a chance."  
   
"No. 'M sorry but I can't. Not now." Rose held the door to her hotel room open for Peter to exit. He stood still willing her to return his gaze but she kept her eyes on the floor.   
   
"Fine. If et's what ye want." Peter's eyes met hers one last time and his shoulders sagged as if to say _'you win'_.   
   
Rose closed the door quietly behind him and leaned against it to listen to his footfall as he walked away. She expected to hear the slamming of his door but instead it closed with a gentle click. As if echoing the sadness they both felt. 

She stood there, leaning against the door, until her knees felt weak. Suddenly feeling exhausted, Rose decided to take a hot bath before giving Mickey a call. It was nearly half seven and she had expected to have already heard from him by now. No word from Mickey either meant the team hadn't found any information on the stone angel or there was just no hope in defending herself against the thing. She wasn't too keen on either of those possibilities but she would rather know sooner than later what to prepare for.   
   
As Rose sank down into the bath, her body reminded her of just how tired she really was. Her muscles were tight and she ached all over but she hadn't even realized it until they began to loosen in the hot water that surrounded her. She replayed her row with Peter in her mind as she took a deep breath and slid beneath the water. Holding her breath for as long as she could, she stayed submerged until a sob escaped her. 

Rose popped her head up out of the water and allowed her emotions to take over as she gulped for air between tearful moans. It had been a long time since she'd had a good cry.  She always stopped herself by pushing her emotions to the back of her mind and focusing on work. Or by reminding herself that she was lucky to be alive and to have Mickey, her mum, Tony, and Pete here with her. That ended right then and there - in a hotel bath in Wales - she let herself cry.   
   
Rose cried for her home in her universe, for her failed attempts to go back, and for losing Jake along the way. She cried for the Doctor, and how much she missed him, now that she accepted the fact that she would never see him again. She cried for so many things that she hadn't let herself cry for until now. But mostly she cried for feeling the way she felt about Peter. Rose wasn't quite sure why or how but she had really believed she'd fallen in love with him. Now she was furious at herself for being so stupid. She was just another distraction for him. Peter had moved to Cardiff, changed careers, and started a new life. He had done it without Natalie... and Rose was just a replacement for the woman who had broken his heart.   
   
Now Peter had her questioning her own feelings for him. He had said she only saw him as a replacement for the Doctor and - this was the hardest pill to swallow - Rose was beginning to wonder if maybe he was right.   
   
oOo  
   
Peter threw himself face first onto the bed in his hotel room. How'd this day get so cocked up? He had nearly told Rose about Blackpool and Natalie more than once since they left Cardiff for Glynneath. Not once did he imagine the conversation taking the awful turn that it did. Now he wasn't sure how to make things right and he was feeling ill. His chest felt like it might cave in and he was having trouble breathing. His eyes felt swollen and his head was pounding. Worst of all was his heart - it felt empty.   
   
He began sobbing with his face buried in the pillow as he grabbed fists full of the duvet and tugged at it violently. Rolling onto his back, Peter pulled the pillow and duvet to his chest. He hugged it close to him as he cried. If Rose didn't want to be with him now, after he'd had a taste of how fantastic it could be, he wasn't sure how he would face her. His heart hurt at the thought of her. He was broken.   
   
As his breathing began to even out and there were no more tears left, Peter peeled himself up off of the bed. He stepped into the en suite and took a quick shower in an attempt to wash away some of the tension building in his shoulders. Once he was under the spray of water, he began to hurry in hopes that Rose would call him or come to his room. He wouldn't be able to hear her from the loo so he made quick work of drying off then searched out his mobile. No missed calls or texts.   
   
Of course not.   
   
Why would she call?  Maybe he should call her? Maybe just a text... but what should he say? No. He would leave it for tonight and hope Rose would have a change of heart by morning.   
   
Peter pulled on his pants and crawled into the bed under the duvet. After half an hour of flipping through channels, he switched off the telly and grabbed his mobile again. It was only 8:17 pm but he was shattered. He checked his email, scrolled through old text messages, and checked his email again.   
   
Nothing new.   
   
Nothing from Rose.   
   
Plugging his mobile into the charger and placing it on the bedside table, Peter switched off the lamp and rolled over on his side. Feeling emotionally drained, he resolved to give in to his fatigue. The sooner he fell asleep - and this day was over - the better off he would be.   
   
oOo  
   
As Rose wrapped a towel snugly around her and stepped into the bedroom, her mobile chirped. She grabbed her jeans from the pile in the floor and dug through all of the pockets until she found it. It was a text from her mum.   
   
 _Hope you're keeping safe while you're away. Wouldn't kill ya to ring your dear old mum sometime soon. x_  
   
Rose smiled and typed her reply. After telling her mum she was safe but tired and would ring her tomorrow, she tossed the mobile on the bed and grabbed some clean clothes from her bag. As much as she hated to admit it, she was starving! 

Even if she was knackered she would force herself to walk the two blocks to the chip shop just to avoid asking Peter for the keys to the SUV. Or maybe he was already gone to get dinner for himself. What if he was at the chip shop? What if he's still there when she gets there? What if he wants to sit and eat together? What if he doesn't? What if...  
   
"BLOODY HELL! I'm officially going barmy!" Rose knew she would have to spend the next several days working with Peter no matter how awkward things were between them. But she just needed to avoid him tonight. She couldn't handle seeing him or talking to him yet. Her mobile chirped again to notify her of a new text.   
   
 _Okay, sweetheart. Get some rest. Tony sends his love. x_  
   
Rose finished putting her clothes on and stepped back into the en suite to dry her hair. A few minutes later she heard her mobile ringing. She switched off the hair dryer and started toward her phone but the ringing had stopped. She figured it was probably Mickey and decided to finish with her hair and call him back during her walk to the chippie. As soon as she switched the hair dryer back on, the mobile began ringing again.   
   
"Okay! It's important... I get it." She said to herself and she switched off the hair dryer again and reached for her brush. She looked at the caller id and saw that she was right - it was Mickey calling.   
   
"Don't talk to me unless you have good news because I've had one helluva day, Micks!" Rose ran the brush through her slightly damp hair as she spoke.  
   
"Guess again, Rosie!" Captain Jack's contagious laugh echoed through the phone. "Did ya miss me?"


	11. Chapter 11

"Rosie? You there, honey?" Jack's words were coming through her mobile loud and clear but Rose was stunned silent. 

This wasn't possible. Had she fallen asleep in the bath? Was she dreaming right now? How could Captain Jack Harkness - from her universe - be here? Rose opened her mouth to speak but no words would come out. Her hand flew to her chest as it seemed to constrict around her lungs, making it impossible to breathe. Her mind was racing but all of her thoughts seemed to tangle into a knotted ball of yarn that she couldn't unravel. What the hell was going on here? 

It wasn't until Jack answered with a giggle and "Well, hello to you too!" that Rose realized she had actually asked that final question out loud. 

"'M sorry. I just... J-Jack? Are y-you really here? This is really happening, yeah?"

"Oh, yes! I am really here and I am VERY real! You'll see just how real when I get to Glynneath tomorrow because I'm gonna give you the biggest, wettest kiss you've-"

"What? You're comin here? To Glynneath? Tomorrow?" Rose was having trouble processing the conversation. She was utterly confused. "But... HOW? How did you get to Pete's World in the first place? It's impossible. I've been tryin to get back. I've tried, Jack. You know I've tried, right? You know I didn't want to-"

"I know, Rose." Jack could hear the desperation in her voice.  He turned away from Mickey and moved to the corner of the room to speak more privately. "He told me what happened at Canary Wharf. Your name was on the list - I thought you had died. Then I caught up with him and..." Jack cleared his throat and smiled in an effort to lighten the conversation. "... we might've saved the world or something like that."

"He's okay then? Still travelin..." Rose fought against the lump forming in her throat. Just the thought of the Doctor going on adventures without her was making her feel nauseous. Not that she expected all of time and space to stand still with her gone, but why wasn't he trying to get back to her? "I mean... he's moved on. That's good. 'M glad he's fine."

"Rose." Her feigned happiness for the Doctor's ability to carry on without her was not lost on Jack. "He misses you terribly. You shouldn't need me to tell you that. Deep down you know it broke his hearts to be separated from you but there was nothing he could do."

"Yeah. S'pose you're right." Rose wiped the tears from her cheeks and sniffled back the rest that threatened to fall. She had cried enough for one night - enough for a lifetime in fact - and she still didn't know how or why Jack was even there. 

"Of course I'm right!" Jack beamed as he broke from his somber mood. "Now, I hear you've got an eye on my lady friend in Glynneath. I hope you're keeping a safe distance because she can be a real bitch!"

Rose shook her head and laughed at his sudden change in tone. She had missed Jack so much! Missed him more than she had even realized. 

"Mickey says he talked to the other agent there with you this morning... what's his name? Peter? Mickey says you were supposed to talk with police and have the place quarantined and monitored. Is that all sorted?" 

"Yeah. Sorted. Ask Micks if we got clearance for DI Blythe. I'm gonna meet with him again in the morning but he has a lot of questions."

"Okay... Mickey says you've got the all clear on the DI. But you need to talk to him tonight instead of tomorrow. I have a few requests that will make my little angel a bit more cooperative. The sooner you take care of those, the better off the rest of us will be."

Grabbing a pen and paper, Rose quickly made a list of supplies as Jack rattled them off over the phone.  He instructed her to have everything on the list purchased before he was to arrive in Glynneath the following day. From the items he had given her, it sounded as if Jack planned to build some type of cage for the Weeping Angel. Where he planned to go from there, she wasn't sure, but she didn't get the chance to ask before he had moved on to other instructions. 

"She's sick. Possibly dying. She was already sick before she made the jump to this universe and I'm guessing the trip didn't help. But she is still extremely dangerous, Rose. She doesn't have the strength to chase after her prey, but if you get close enough for her to touch you.... Well, just don't let that happen. Got it?"

"Yeah. What happened to those kids she zapped, Jack? Are they dead? Can we get them back?"

"Chances are - they're dead. But not from what you'd expect. They likely all died of old age."

"The angel actually does send them back in time then?" Rose couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Of all the ways to die, she supposed being displaced in time and living a full life was less tragic than most. 

"That's exactly what Rory said," talking mostly to herself, "but can we get them back? Can we somehow change it?"

"Rory?"

"He's the eye witness. Amelia Pond was the most recent victim and he's her boyfriend. He saw the angel touch her just before she disappeared. Then he calls me earlier today to tell me there's a new - old - well it wasn't there before - but a gravestone with Amy's name on it."

"That's your missing person, alright. The Weeping Angels kill their victims by sending them back in time. The lovely Amelia Pond lives out her life in the past and the angel fuels up on the time energy of the life Amelia would have had in the here and now."

"So what you're saying is there's no way to-"

"No, Rose. I'm sorry but they're all gone."

"You mean they're all dead."

"Yeah. I'm sorry. There's nothing we can do for them now. BUT we can stop the angel from claiming more victims and building up her strength. That's what we're gonna do, right?"

"Yeah. Just tell me how." 

oOo

"Shit!" Rose threw her mobile on the bed after ending her call with Jack. It wasn't until she rang off that she realized she would have to call Peter. So much for her plan to avoid him until morning. She nearly growled in frustration when she remembered that she didn't even have DI Blythe's mobile number. Meaning she was completely helpless without Peter. She collapsed on the bed, grabbed her mobile, and dialed his number. After five rings, the call went to voice mail and Rose hung up. 

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIT!" As if the thought of talking to him wasn't already enough to twist her stomach into knots, he was bloody screening her calls. Knowing that he obviously didn't want to speak to her either made her situation even more unnerving. 

Rose slipped on her trainers and pocketed her mobile. If he wouldn't answer the sodding phone, she would just go knock on his door. Grabbing her room key and her jacket, she exited her hotel room and stomped down the hallway toward Peter's door. How could he be so childish? It wasn't as if she'd done something wrong. No one was at fault here - things just weren't going to work out between them. They still had to work together so there was no point in making things more awkward by playing these immature games. 

She raised her fisted hand to knock on Peter's hotel room door when her mobile trilled in her pocket. 

It was him. 

Rose wanted to lead off with a scathing remark about how silly it was to ignore her call in the first place. Or maybe remind him that they were both adults and needed to act as such if they planned on continuing their professional relationship. When she answered the phone and opened her mouth to speak, all she managed was "Hey."

"Rose." The way he breathed her name with a sigh of relief made her heart rise to her throat. "Oh, Rose, I'm so glad you called. I wanted to-"

"Actually, Peter, I'm right outside your door. You didn't answer when I called and I thought... Well I was just gonna knock-"

Peter opened the door to find Rose standing before him, fully dressed and jacket in hand. Only then did he remember he was just wearing a pair of grey boxer briefs and a smile. Most likely a goofy smile because Rose had called - now she was here - and he didn't think he'd hear from her tonight.  The sight of her made his heart swell. 

They were both still holding their mobiles to their ears when Peter's smile grew slightly wider and he spoke into his. "No need to knock.  I see you." 

Rose managed a tight smile and put her mobile back in her pocket. Peter lowered his from his ear and opened the door wider as he motioned for her to come through. He inhaled as she passed by him. The scent of her shampoo filled his nose and he held his breath for just a moment before exhaling and closing the door behind her. 

He gestured for her to sit on the sofa but she shook her head and remained standing. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and didn't seem to know what to do with her hands as she fidgeted with her jacket. Peter could sense her nervousness and wanted to put her at ease.

"What is it, love?" His fingers tingled with the urge to reach for her hand but he held back. Deciding to close the distance between them by only a couple of steps. 

"You didn't answer. When I called... you didn't pick up." Rose couldn't make eye contact with him for fear of breaking down. She studied the zip of her jacket she'd been fiddling with instead. 

"Aye. I'm sorry." Peter ran one hand through his messy hair and scratched his bare chest with the other. "I must have fallen asleep. I answered, but ye already hung up." 

"Right. 'M sorry to wake you but we need to have DI Blythe meet us at McCrimmon Lane as soon as he can. I spoke to-"

"But I thought... so ye didnae call to..." His words trailed off as Peter realized he had misinterpreted her phone call entirely. She wasn't there to talk to him - she was there for work. 

"Um, I got a call from Cardiff earlier." Rose chose to ignore his interruption as she could tell by the look on his face that Peter was beginning to connect the dots. He was realizing she wasn't there to reconcile and his disappointment was not only written all over his face, but also apparent in his body language. His shoulders sagged, his chest rose and fell with a heavy sigh, and he backed away from her a few steps as she continued. 

"The team will be here tomorrow. Probably early afternoon. I have a list of supplies we need to get before they arrive. Most importantly, I need to tell Blythe everything we know about the Weeping Angel and ask him to have all the street lamps on McCrimmon Lane switched off immediately."

"Weeping Angel?" Peter furrowed his brow in confusion. "Et's called a Weeping Angel?" 

"Yeah."

"And the street lamps? Why?" He crossed his arms across his chest and cleared his throat. The lump nearly rising up and causing him to choke on the words as he spoke. 

"She feeds off the energy. Jack says she was already sick when she got here but she can get stronger from any kind of energy source. It's just a precaution until he can get here."

"Jack? And who is Jack?" Peter's eyes grew wider at the mention of the name. He'd been working at Torchwood for six months now and he had never once heard anyone mention a Jack. 

"Um, sorry, I should have mentioned. Jack - Captain Jack Harkness - is a friend of mine." Peter's expression went from questioning to unnerved. "And of Mickey's," she corrected, "from years ago. He followed the Weeping Angel here and he's gonna take her home."

"Home?  Where's home?"

"Yeah, well, that's where it all gets a bit tricky." She, once again, couldn't bring herself to make eye contact as she nearly whispered. "They're from the other universe. My universe." 

"Wh-what?" Rose just stared at his feet, refusing to look at him. "How? You said-"

"'M not sure how exactly. Jack said he'd tell me more when he gets here tomorrow. But I guess there are some cracks... The angel slipped through and then Jack came through to get her."

"So yer telling me that yer pal Jack can just hop back and forth now?" Rose nodded. "Well, isn't that bloody convenient for you?" His words were laced with disgust as he spat them out and he didn't try to hide it. He didn't even care. The more she talked, the more infuriated he became. Lucky she'd ended things with him, Peter thought, because now she could go back to that Doctor bloke. 

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Rose snapped her head up to finally meet her eyes with his. 

"You know very well what I mean." He stalked over to his duffle bag, pulled out jeans and a jumper, then angrily tossed the bag across the room. "Sounds like you'll be free to go soon. Ye must be terribly excited." 

"Who says I'm leaving, Peter?  Don't just assume-"

"Oh, come on! Give me a fucking break. We both know what yer thinking." He pulled his jumper over his head and slid his feet into his shoes - never looking in her direction. 

"No. You DON'T know what I'm thinking." She shoved her arms in her jacket and zipped it up. "'M not even having this conversation with you. Not tonight."

"Fine. Don't. I don't want ye to." Peter grabbed his keys and his mobile.  He thumbed through his contacts to find Blythe's number as he walked past Rose to the door. He dialed the number and held the phone to his ear before looking back over his shoulder at her. 

She stood there, seething mad, with her arms crossed and fire in her eyes. Peter had to admit he was more than a little proud of himself for getting under her skin. He was fully aware of how he could be a complete bastard when he was angry. It wasn't his most endearing quality, but at that very moment he was too jealous and heartbroken to care. 

He hated the Doctor for knowing her first. 

"I thought we had a job to do," Peter said flatly. 

"We do," she replied through clenched teeth. 

Peter made a noise in the back of his throat that clearly implied _yer not fooling anyone_ , but simply said, "Let's go then."

oOo

The trip to McCrimmon Lane was made in silence. Awkward - cut the tension with a knife - silence. 

DI Blythe arrived at exactly the same time and Rose hopped out of the SUV to discuss the situation. Peter stood within ear shot as she answered all of Blythe's questions about the Weeping Angel and what Torchwood planned to do about it. Although he listened intently to everything Jack had told her about the creature, Peter never offered comment. He stood a few feet behind Rose, in Blythe's line of sight, clearly brooding. Blythe made eye contact with him more than once and raised a quizzical eyebrow at his uncharacteristically passive behavior but Peter only responded by turning away or rolling  his eyes. 

He wanted to be anywhere but there and with anyone but wee Blythe - he didn't care how obvious it was. 

"Thanks so much, Detective Inspector. We will be in touch tomorrow when the rest of our team arrives."  Rose shook his hand and turned to find Peter standing with arms crossed and lips pressed firmly together making his dimples more prominent. He hadn't spoken a word since they had left the hotel. 

"Thank you, Miss Tyler." Blythe turned to Peter as Rose walked away. "What's the matter, Carlisle, needing your beauty sleep?"

Peter wanted to smack the grin off of his daft face but merely said, "Aye. Something like that." Then he turned on his heels and walked back to the vehicle where Rose was waiting. 

The drive back to the hotel was no less tense. Rose leaned her forehead against her window as she stared blankly out at the darkness and Peter focused on the road ahead while he drove. 

The silence was broken by the sound of Rose's stomach letting out a loud rumble. She'd nearly forgotten that she was on her way to the chip shop when Jack had called her. 

"Hungry?" Peter loosened his white knuckled grip on the steering wheel but kept his face forward. 

"'M all right." Rose wrapped her arms around her waist in an effort to muffle any further sounds her traitorous stomach tried to make. 

"If yer hungry, I can stop at-"

"I said I'm fine, Peter." 

"Right. Okay then." 

Once they had reached the hotel, Peter switched off the ignition and turned to look at Rose. When their eyes locked, the fury she had shown before had melted away. She looked tired - maybe a little confused - and reluctant to speak. 

He opened and closed his mouth a few times but wasn't sure what to say. He had hurt her in the height of his frustration, but now he was full of remorse. He should never have raised his voice. He shouldn't have thrown his things about the room. He needed to apologize. 

"I will call Rory Williams in the morning. I should tell him what we know about Amelia Pond." Rose dropped her gaze to her lap. "I think I need to do that in person."

"I'll take ye. We can both do it," he offered. 

"No. I can do it." Her eyes glossed over with unshed tears as she looked back up at Peter. "Um, would you - I mean, I have a list of things. We need to get them tomorrow before the others arrive. Could you maybe do that while I talk with Rory?"

"Sure. Of course." He pressed his tongue against the back of his top teeth and exhaled slowly, trying to sort a proper apology in his mind. "Rose-"

"I'll text you the list of supplies when I get to my room, yeah?" Rose unfastened her safety belt and opened her door. She needed to get out of the vehicle before the claustrophobic feeling overwhelmed her. Before she was forced to meet Peter's eyes again and the tears burst down her face. 

"Aye. Fine." Peter watched her exit the vehicle and disappear inside the hotel before he followed suit. 

oOo

Rose made her way to her room and quickly found her handwritten list of supplies. She typed it all into a text to Peter and hit send. 

She had managed to calm her nerves enough to remember she was feeling starved. After changing into a pair of shorts and a vest top, Rose began digging through her bags for some sort of sustenance. She was fairly certain there was an energy bar in amongst her things and she was determined to find it. 

The chirps from her mobile interrupted her search and she picked it up to find a text from Peter. 

\Got your list. Can I pop over to talk for a minute?\

//I'm dressed for bed. We'll talk tomorrow.//

She plugged her mobile into the charger and continued to dig around in her bag when it chirped again. 

\Can I call you? It won't take long. I promise.\

//I'm in bed. I'm knackered. Tomorrow.//

Rose was emotionally drained and convinced nothing good would come from further conversation. She found the energy bar in a side pocket of her bag and pulled it out. The packaging was a mess and the bar was a bit smashed, but it tasted fine. Maybe that was only because she was so hungry she would have eaten anything at that point - she didn't care. 

After popping the last bite into her mouth and chasing it with a plastic cup of water from the tap, Rose stepped to the loo before crawling into bed. 

It didn't take long for her eyelids to become heavy. Rose began to drift off to sleep when her mobile chirped and startled her. It chirped again... again... and again. _What the hell?_

Rose crawled out of bed and padded across the room to where her mobile sat in the chair. She had four text messages from Peter. 

\You're likely asleep now but I can't go to bed without telling you I'm sorry. I was out of line and I shouldn't have said those things to you. I hope you'll forgive me and I hope we can finish this case with no more shouting. I can be a twat when I'm angry.\

\Not angry. That's not what I meant. Frustrated is a more accurate word. And confused.\

\Heartbroken... utterly and completely.\

\Okay. I'm done. Full stop. Until tomorrow. x\

Rose hadn't even realized tears were falling from her eyes until one dropped from her cheek and landed on the screen of her mobile.  She wiped it off on her shirt and read the texts three more times before typing a response. She could just pretend she was asleep and ignore them until morning, but for some reason she didn't want to. 

She hit send. 

//Until tomorrow. xx//


	12. Chapter 12

The sound of the alarm filled the room as Peter slapped his hand blindly at the bed side table. Where was the bloody thing? Without opening his eyes, he felt his way to the offending device, shut it off, and slid further beneath the duvet.   
   
He had slept well - considering the previous day had taken his emotions on a joy ride from hell - but he fancied just a few minutes more in the warm bed.   
   
As he pulled the duvet over his head to hide from the slivers of sunlight piercing through the shudders, his thoughts turned to Rose. Peter wondered if she had slept well. Or maybe she was still sleeping. The image of her snuggled all comfy in bed filled his mind and he longed to be curled up behind her. He wished he was there with his body fitted against hers and his arms embracing her close to his chest as he buried his face in her mussed up hair.   
   
He wanted her fresh face - no makeup to conceal the imperfections that were unique to her face alone - to be the first thing he saw in the morning light. On this morning and every morning.  
   
He wondered how it was possible to miss something you never had to begin with. Rose had never spent the night in bed with him. They had never woken up together with the warmth of the morning sun shining in on their faces. He had never began his day by making love to his beautiful Rose, slowly and tenderly. How then, did he feel the loss in his heart for these moments they had never shared?   
   
Peter suddenly felt like he was suffocating. He inhaled deep calming breaths as he threw back the duvet and kicked his legs free of the sheets.    
   
Pining away for a life he never had - nor ever would have - was useless. Although Rose hadn't said so herself, he was sure that she would be gone soon. Now that it was possible to travel back to her universe it was not a question of whether or not she would, but merely of when. As much as he hated the thought of losing her forever, Peter resolved to make his final days with her as agreeable as possible. No more rows and no more silent treatment.   
   
He'd never forgive himself if she left with the memory of Peter Carlisle: jealous, spiteful bastard. Once Rose was back home living happily ever after with the Doctor, he wanted her to remember him fondly.    
   
 _Then if by some miracle she stays,_ he thought, _I'll wait until she's ready._  
   
Glancing back at the digital clock on the bed side table, Peter remembered the hotel had boasted a complimentary breakfast for its guests. He rolled himself out of bed and stumbled toward the ensuite for a quick shower.   
   
After nearly ten minutes of basking in the warmth of the water, Peter considered shaving - then decided against it. He put on his clothes and went in search of food.   
   
As he walked past Rose's hotel room door, he wondered if he should knock. He hesitated for a moment and decided to text her instead.   
   
//Breakfast? I'm buying.//  
   
\\\How convenient... It's free!\\\  
   
He could practically hear her giggle as he read the text. She was awake and friendly.  Good.   
   
//Quite. I'm outside your door. Want me to wait for you?//  
   
\\\Thanks but I'm about to hop in the shower.\\\  
   
Peter resisted the urge to cheekily ask her if she needed assistance.   
   
//Okay. See you in a bit.//  
   
oOo  
 

 

Rose jumped out of bed and hurried to the ensuite. She had planned on making an earlier start to her day but forgot to set the alarm on her mobile the previous night. It wasn't until Peter texted to invite her along to breakfast that she started to wake. Now she needed to make a mad dash to ready herself for her meeting with Rory Williams. 

 

   
She had called Rory the day before and made plans to meet at his home and then travel together to the cemetery. Rose needed to take photographs of the gravestone with Amelia Pond's name on it to be added to the case file. Rory had no knowledge of her conversation with Jack which proved his suspicions to be true. The stone angel had in fact transported Amy back in time. Rose was certainly not looking forward to sharing this information with Rory, but she knew it was best said in person.   
   
As soon as Rose felt the cold tile floor of the en suite beneath her feet, she was reminded of the dream she had been having before her mobile yanked her from sleep to reality.  She quickly stepped into the shower as images began to flood her mind.   
   
 _She was back on the beach. That sodding cold beach in Norway again. The Doctor was smiling at her, fighting back tears that threatened to fall, and had just said "Quite right, too."  
   
Rose smiled in spite of her sobs. The cold wind against her tear streaked face would have been painful if she hadn't felt so numb.   
   
Their time was running out. He was leaving her again.   
   
The breeze plastered an errant lock of blonde hair to her face and she reached up to push it back. Rose blinked as her hand passed across her line of sight and she felt the air around her shift - just for a second.   
   
She looked back up at the Doctor - he wasn't there.  Rose closed her eyes shut and shook her head in disbelief. She opened her eyes again but the Doctor was gone, replaced by Peter.   
   
"Rose," Peter smiled as he moved in close and smoothed a hand over Rose's hair. He pulled her close against him and she could feel the heat from his body warming her at once. She felt as if she was melting against him.   
   
"Rose, I do love you." He pressed his warm lips to her forehead and kissed her softly. "It's okay if ye cannae say it back. I'll wait."  
   
They stood there together in the sand. His arms wrapped firmly around her as she relaxed against him. Rose snaked her arms around Peter's waist - holding on as tight as she could - and pressed her cheek to his chest.  She could feel his single heart beating.   
   
He was in no hurry to leave.   
   
He would wait. _  
   
oOo  
   
Rose pocketed her mobile and grabbed her hotel room key. She opened the door and stepped out to find Peter sitting on the floor with his back pressed against the wall opposite her. He held one biodegradable cup of tea in each hand as he stood to greet her.   
   
"Good morning!" Peter stifled a groan as he was certain his words carried too much cheer. It sounded fake and he wondered if the smile he gave her bordered on ridiculous.   
 

 

"'M sorry. I didn't know you were waiting. How long have you been out here?" Rose felt more than a little embarrassed, as he offered her a cup of tea. 

 

   
"Only long enough for yer tea to cool to the perfect temperature for drinking." He grinned and handed over the cup he had prepared for her. "I didnae want to rush you."  
   
"Ta. You didn't have to-"  
   
"And I also have some fruit." He pulled a pear and a banana from the pocket of his jacket. "There wasn't quite the spread of food one might have expected downstairs but take yer pick."  
   
It was all Rose could do to avoid laughing at the choices held out before her.   
   
"Bananas are good... but if you prefer it, then-"  
   
"Nope." Peter handed the banana to her and bit into the pear. "I was hoping ye might want the banana. I havenae had a good pear in ages."   
   
As she pulled down the peel on her banana, Rose thought maybe she should clear the air between them. Although their row from the previous night ended with an apologetic text from Peter, she still felt the need to explain herself.   
   
She had been just as shocked by the sudden appearance of Jack Harkness as Peter - possibly more so. Rose had no idea how or when travel between universes had become possible once again. It was all confusing and exciting and frustrating at the same time.    
   
"Peter, about last night... I..." Explaining herself would be much easier if she could only form actual words. "I hope we can still work together. I truly don't want things between us to be-"  
   
"Things between us are fine, Rose." Even though Rose thought he should maybe google the definition of "fine", the look on Peter's face was reassuring. "Feelings were raw last night. For both of us," he smiled.   
   
"Yeah. 'M sorry everything is a mess with us but maybe we can just... I don't know... put a pin in it?" Rose gave him a sideways glance as they walked together to the lift. When he didn't respond, she added. "I just want to finish this case, yeah?  When we get back to Cardiff, if there are things to be sorted, we can to it then. Okay?"  
   
"Aye." Peter looked at her for a long moment but said nothing else.   
   
They ate their breakfast quietly as they stood side by side in the lift. Neither of them looked at the other until the lift door opened and Peter smiled, nodding for her to exit first.   
   
After chucking her banana peel in a bin in the car park, Rose finally broke the silence.   
   
"I guess it's gonna be a bit weird even if we don't mean for it to be." She took another sip of tea and waited for Peter to say something. He didn't. "I promise we can talk about everything when we're done here. I just-"  
   
Peter reached for her hand and she stopped mid step.   
   
"I know, Rose. Et's fine," he smiled. "I spent a lot of time thinking last night. I decided maybe yer right - not about everything - about a few things."  
   
"And those things are?"  
   
"Maybe yer nae ready for this." He gestured to the space between them. "I am, Rose. And I'm too old to pretend otherwise."  
   
"Peter, I-"  
   
"No. Et's okay. Really." He took a firmer grip on her hand and laced his fingers with hers. "Ye might remember it was you avoiding me for months," he said with a grin. "I spent all that time wanting to snog ye senseless."  
   
They both laughed and began walking toward the black Torchwood SUV, entwined hands swinging between them.   
   
"We did rush into this a wee bit but I cannae say I'm sorry. I've wanted ye in my arms for months, Rose, and I don't regret it. I hope you don't either." He gave her hand a light squeeze.   
   
"I don't. I really don't regret it, Peter." She smiled shyly at him. "I just don't... I've never... so quickly."  
   
They stopped beside the vehicle and Peter turned to face her.   
   
"There's one very important thing ye were wrong about, aye?" He raised an eyebrow and looked her directly in the eye. "I do love you, Rose Tyler. And et's okay if ye cannae say it back because I'll wait. I will wait for you."  
   
Rose stood there, dumbstruck. She knew he meant it. He'd already told her as much in her previous night's dream - almost verbatim.  She knew she should say something but her mouth was suddenly dry and she only managed a weak "Okay."   
   
"Right." Peter pulled her close for a hug and held her against him. He rested his chin on top of her head. "When we get back to Cardiff, I'll court ye properly. I suppose right now we have work to do, aye?"  
   
"Thank you, Peter." Rose leaned against his warm chest and returned his hug. "Thanks for understanding."  
   
"Wellll... et's the least I could do after being a right pain in the arse last night," he laughed.   
   
oOo  
   
Rose walked across the soggy grass of the cemetery as she searched for Rory. Peter had dropped her off, at her insistence, to purchase the supplies Jack had asked for. As she glanced around the gravestones, she went over the list of items again in her head. Sheets of plywood, four by two precut timber, a full length mirror, a square of plexiglass - at least nine by nine inches...  
   
Jack had said the creature needed to be contained. Was he building some type of wooden cage?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she spotted Rory on the other side of the cemetery. He stood staring at a particular gravestone and hadn't noticed her approaching. Rose had given up on trying to think of an easy way to tell him what had happened to Amy. There was no easy way.   
   
"Rory," Rose smiled. "How are you?"  
   
Rory tried to return her smile but it was obviously forced. He didn't speak but tilted his head back toward the headstone in front of him. Rose stepped up next to him and saw the name on the grave:  Amelia Pond.   
   
"I'm sorry," she said.   
   
"Yeah." He choked back tears. "Me too."   
   
"Do you mind if I take a few pictures with my mobile? We need them for the case file."  
   
"Of course. Yeah. Go ahead," he answered. "Sorry, I just... I keep thinking if I stare at it long enough, it'll change. Maybe I'll blink and it will be gone. Or the name won't be the same. It's silly, I know, but..."  
   
"It's not silly, Rory. I don't blame you for wanting the impossible.  I've done that myself a few times."  
   
"What... what do you mean by impossible? Are you," he swallowed the lump in his throat, "are you saying you can't bring her back?"  
   
Rose wished she had let Peter come to the cemetery with her. She felt helpless as she looked at Rory. He was visibly shaken at the thought of Amy being gone forever. Suddenly Rose felt as if she needed Peter there beside her, to draw from his strength. She couldn't do this on her own.   
   
"Is that what you're telling me?" Rory's voice was laced with anger. "She's just gone?"  
   
"I'm sorry, Rory.  You were right about everything. The weeping angel sent Amy back in time. There's no way to bring her back."  
   
"That can't be it. That can't be the end."  Tears began falling freely down his face. "There has to be something someone can do!"  
   
"There's not. I'm so sorry."   
   
She was sorry. Rose knew what it was like to have the love of your life ripped away from you in an instant. She fought the urge to cry herself as she stood next to Rory, both staring at Amy's grave. She couldn't say how much time passed as they stood together in silence.   
   
As a light mist of rain began to fall, her trance was broken. Rose looked up from the gravestone to find herself alone. She glanced around the cemetery to see Rory walking along the pavement, disappearing from sight.   
   
oOo  
   
Peter sat across the table from Rose, watching her pick at - but not eat - her fish and chips. They had planned to meet Mickey and Jack at the Glynneath Diner around lunch time but decided not to wait for their friends before ordering food. The piece of fruit and tea they'd had for breakfast was all but forgotten. Peter was feeling peckish but couldn't keep from being distracted by Rose.   
   
She had been upset ever since she met with Rory Williams at the cemetery. Peter knew he should have stayed with her when she broke the news to Rory that Amy was gone for good. Now as Rose moodily nibbled on a chip, he was angry with himself for having let her do it alone.   
   
"Cannae ye eat something, Rose? Do ye want something else?"  
   
"No." She looked up at him with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "'M not very hungry. Can't stop thinking about Rory. 'S just terrible, really, to be separated from someone you love like that. So unexpectedly..."  
   
"Aye." Peter pushed his own plate away and leaned back in his chair. He sucked in his bottom lip and bit down hard, deciding whether or not to speak. _Sod it,_ he thought.   
   
"Et's nae just the case, though, is it?  Yer thinking of him." It was more a statement than a question. "I'm nae trying to fight - I just - am I right? Is that what this is about?"  
   
"No," Rose snapped. She ran her hand through her hair and shook her head as if to clear her mind of unwelcome thoughts. "'M sorry... maybe... yeah. I suppose I'm thinking of the Doctor a bit. But I just wish there was something I could do. For Rory and Amy, I mean. I wish I could help."  
   
"Aye. I know ye do. Ye don't need me to tell ye life's nae always fair. Ye can't save everyone all the time, Rose."  Peter reached across the table to steal a chip from her plate and popped it into his mouth. "And yer nae going to be much help to yerself - or anyone else - if ye don't eat something, my dear."  
   
Rose's hand reached for a chip but froze before bringing it to her mouth. Glancing over Peter's shoulder, she caught a glimpse of an always recognizable trench coat resting on familiar broad shoulders.   
   
"As I live and breathe, Rose Marion Tyler!" To say Jack was a sight for sore eyes would be a gross understatement. Rose practically shrieked with excitement as he came rushing toward her, arms spread wide apart. "Get off that gorgeous bum and give me a proper welcome."  
   
Rose leapt from her seat, nearly knocking the chair backwards to the floor. Peter felt a slight jab in his stomach at her sudden change in spirit. Exactly who was this man with so much power over Rose's emotions?   
   
Peter turned to look over his shoulder at Jack Harkness just in time to see the man scoop Rose up into a bone crushing hug. He felt another jab in the gut.  Jack spun her around, both of them laughing, as Mickey pushed past them and sank down into Rose's vacant chair.   
   
"This little reunion could take all day." Mickey rolled his eyes at Jack and Rose - still spinning and laughing and hugging - and began eating Rose's plate of chips. "How's things been in Glynneath, Petey?"  
   
"Wha?" Peter was having trouble pulling his eyes away from Rose and her touchy-feely friend until he realized what Mickey had just said. He snapped his head back to fix Mickey with a piercing glare. "I told ye I didna want ye calling me that!"  
   
He turned back to Jack and Rose to see her feet placed firmly on the ground and his mouth pressed firmly against hers. Forget about jabs - this was a strong, deliberate punch to the kidneys. Peter felt the blood drain from his face as he realized he was holding his breath. _What the bloody hell?_  
   
Both Rose and Jack abruptly turned away from each other to look at Peter. Jack was grinning like a lunatic and Rose looked shocked... and mortified. Peter's eyes opened wider - almost comically - as the realization hit him. Had he just...  
   
"Yeah, mate. You just said that out loud," Mickey laughed.   
   
"Aye... well... erm," Peter stammered. "Sorry. I just-"  
   
"Peter, this is Jack. And Jack," Rose turned back to her friend, "this is Peter."  
   
"Wait... what?" Jack stepped past Rose and moved in closer to Peter. Uncomfortably close, Peter thought, as Jack studied his face. "Oh, THIS is brilliant!"  
   
"Peter Carlisle." Peter stood from his chair and thrust out his hand to greet Jack. "I'm-"  
   
"You're Scottish!" Jack glanced back to Rose. "He's Scottish, Rose." Rose nodded.   
   
"Oh, I was wrong. This is BEYOND brilliant. This is... this is... there's not even a word for what this is!  How the hell did she find you?  Of all the people here, she manages to..."   
   
Peter stood there, hand extended, as Jack's voice trailed off. He was just beginning to think the man was stark raving mad when Jack grabbed Peter's hand and pulled him in for a hug.   
   
It wasn't the _I'm so happy to see you that I'm going to spin you around in circles until we both throw up_ type of hug Jack had given Rose. This was different. Jack held Peter tight and sighed in relief before leaning in to whisper in his ear. 

"I'm so glad she has you." His voice was thick with emotion. "Take care of her. She needs you."  
   
"But we're not-"  
   
"Yeah. You are," Jack interrupted. "She just doesn't know it yet."


	13. Chapter 13

Mickey draped his arm around Rose's shoulders as they watched Jack assess the supplies Peter had bought. They had decided it would be best to split up for the rest of the day - Peter and Jack going to McCrimmon Lane while Mickey and Rose went to the hotel to tackle some paperwork.   
   
"They'll be all right you know," Mickey smiled. "Jack knows what he's doing. Even if he is an arrogant bugger."  
   
"Yeah," Rose laughed. "I know. I just still can't believe he's here... doesn't seem real."  
   
Peter finally closed the back of the SUV, Jack deciding all was in order,  and made his way to the front of the vehicle where Mickey and Rose stood.   
   
"You're sure you'll be okay?" Rose looked from Peter to Jack. "And you'll call immediately if anything goes pear shaped, yeah?"   
   
"Yes, ma'am." Jack straightened himself and gave her a formal salute.   
   
"'M serious, Jack," Rose scolded. She turned back to Peter and arched an eyebrow. "And you can build this... thing?"  
   
"My dear Rose, I know ye cannae be insinuating I don't know my way around a hammer and nail." He crossed his arms and tried to look offended before a grin crept across his face.   
   
"Oi, don't be cheeky. That's exactly what 'm afraid of. And you..." She fixed Jack with a stern look - one a mother gives to an incorrigible child - and a pointed finger, "you better behave."   
   
"Of course, Rosie. Scout's honor." Jack clapped Peter on the shoulder. "We should get going, pal. Need to make the most of the daylight we have left."  
   
Rose stood, unmoving, and watched as Peter steered the vehicle onto the road and drove away. She was certain Jack would handle the weeping angel without risking his or Peter's safety but she hated not going along. She had never relished being left behind in the face of danger. The Doctor had attempted, on more than one occasion, to send Rose safely home when trouble was imminent - she never complied.   
   
"You okay, babe?" Mickey squeezed his arm tighter around her shoulders and smiled.   
   
"Yeah, Micks, 'm fine," she smiled. "But if those two don't come back unscathed... I swear I'll bloody kill them!"  
   
oOo  
   
Peter and Jack arrived at McCrimmon Lane to find the whole street evacuated and blocked off from all traffic. After speaking with one of the officers on guard and showing the proper credentials, Peter was allowed to pass through. Jack suggested they park a good distance from the house in order for him to assess the levels of energy around the area. He had brought along a few pieces of equipment and was currently holding a gadget out in front of him, waving it from side to side, as they walked toward the house.   
   
"Simply saying that it goes ding when there's stuff isnae a good way to convince me ye know what yer doing," Peter observed.   
   
"Maybe not," Jack laughed, "but it does go ding if there's any danger."  
   
Peter answered by making a noise in the back of his throat that implied _yer full of shite_ but said nothing.   
   
"Fine. You see this here?" Jack pointed to an indicator on the top of the machine. It had a bar that changed from green to yellow to red, and a tiny metal arm that hovered above it. "It's in the green which means we are fine. As we get closer to the angel, and this detects her presence, that little hand will move to yellow. You see?"

"Aye... and the dinging happens when?"  
   
"This picks up on the energy levels in the air. The weeping angel feeds off of energy - they're full of it. If this moves to red, that means we are in the vicinity of a powerful amount of energy. Then," Jack grinned, "it goes ding."  
   
"I see," Peter said sarcastically. "Sounds extremely high tech."  
   
The two men trudged across the wet grass in the back garden of the house. Jack kept studying the indicator on his machine as they grew closer to where the angel statue was located. They soon found themselves only a few yards away from her and Jack began to frown.   
   
"What is it? Is something wrong?" Peter asked.   
   
"Very wrong," Jack sighed. "Look."  
   
Peter leaned over to see that the metal arm was still teetering above the green end of the indicator. He raised his eyebrow quizzically at Jack. "Well that's a good thing, right?"  
   
"It is for us," Jack answered, "but not for her. She's sick. Actually she was already sick... I think she's dying."  
   
They stepped a little closer and Jack noted that the indicator was firmly hovering on the point where green changed to yellow. He explained that if the weeping angel were healthy, they'd have heard the elusive ding long before now.   
   
As it was, she still needed to be contained in order to assure safety. McCrimmon Lane was crawling with police officers and Jack considered it best to proceed with caution for their sake. He and Peter, with the help of a few coppers hanging about, began constructing what was basically a wooden cage. 

The structure had four walls of ply wood and a full length mirror attached to the interior wall that would face the weeping angel. Jack assured that others that the angel would be frozen once she saw her reflection. There was also a square of plexiglass window put into one of the adjacent walls which would allow them to monitor the statue's deteriorating health.   
   
The construction and placement of the enclosure took several hours. Once the work was complete, Jack pulled out his hand held machine once again. Even standing with his back flush against the wall of the structure, the indicator never fully made the leap from green to yellow. 

"Now what?" Peter peered into the window  of the enclosure. "Did ye have a plan?"  
   
"My plan is shot to hell." Jack switched off his gadget and shook his head. "The plan had been simple: find the angel, wait here for a day while my team back home made the necessary preparations, stick my extra vortex manipulator on her wrist, and send her back."  
   
"Aye, sounds easy enough."  
   
"Yeah but that was before I figured out that one day there is nearly a month here." Jack scrubbed a hand over his face. He was tired and more than a little frustrated. "I have to wait here with her for a month... she'll never survive."  
   
oOo  
   
Rose gathered all her notes she had made on the case so far and grabbed her laptop. She had returned to her room to ring her mum while Mickey had gone to unpack and settle in.  After thirty minutes of Jackie recounting the past week's highlights of her life as a stay at home mum - the woman didn't understand the meaning of a quick conversation - Rose headed toward Mickey's room to work on the case report together.   
   
Once there, she began to complete the usual paperwork while Mickey hacked into Glynneath public records. Rose hoped to find as much information on Amy Pond's life as possible. She thought if she was able to provide Rory with a look at Amy's years without him, he would have a sense of closure. At least she hoped he would.   
   
Mickey and Rose worked in companionable silence for nearly an hour before he blurted, "Are you gonna tell me now or keep me guessing?"  
   
"What?" Rose glanced at him above her laptop screen.   
   
" _What?_ You know what," he scoffed. "You and Peter. What's going on? Did you tell 'im about the Doctor?"  
   
"Oh that." Rose took a deep breath and exhaled loudly, her cheeks puffing up with air. "Yeah. I told him everything."  
   
"And?"  
   
"And he was really understanding about the whole thing. Almost felt silly for being so afraid to tell 'im." She looked back at her laptop and resumed typing.   
   
"So... that means..." Mickey waggled his eyebrows. "You and 'im are... what exactly?"  
   
Rose didn't answer right away. She wasn't completely sure how to answer that question. They weren't a couple - not really - but Peter had made his intentions quite clear. He wasn't vague about his feelings for her, but she hadn't come to terms with her feelings just yet.   
   
What is the proper term for two people who adore each other, want to spend every waking moment together, and can't stop thinking of one another (no matter how hard they try), she wondered. _That's the bloody definition of a couple, you idiot!_  
   
"We're friends," she said.   
   
"Friends? You're kidding me, right?"  
   
"No, I'm not." She continued to stare at her laptop, refusing to look Mickey in the eye. "Just drop it, Micks. Okay?"  
   
"What happened, Rose?" Mickey closed his laptop and pushed it aside. "Hey, look at me. Tell me what's wrong."  
   
Rose swallowed hard and looked up at Mickey. She was making a conscious effort to appear calm and unaffected by the conversation but knew she was failing miserably. This was Mickey; he always knew.   
   
"Peter told me he loved me," she finally said. "Moving a bit fast don't you think?"  
   
"I don't know. Not really." Mickey smiled faintly at her. "It's easy to fall for you, Rose. And I would know, yeah?"  
   
Rose smiled shyly. "Is this weird? Are you sure you wanna hear about it?"  
   
"Well you can spare me the gruesome details," he grimaced. "But you know you can always talk to me, babe. About anything... So he said he loved you and it scared you off?"  
   
"Kind of. Not exactly. I mean, everything moved so fast. From the moment he kissed me in the pub it all moved at warp speed. I just don't want to get caught up, you know? I don't want to use him as a substitute for-"  
   
"But you're not, Rose. You already admitted you like Peter because he's Peter. Nothing to do with the Doctor." Mickey moved to sit next to Rose and put his arm around her. "It's okay to fall in love, Rose. You have to live your life. You know the Doctor would want that."  
   
"Yeah, I know." Rose sniffed back tears and leaned her head against Mickey's shoulder. "Of course you're right. It's just scary to fall in love with someone so soon. And now with Jack here-"

"So that's it then? Now that you know it's possible to go hopping across universes, that's what you wanna do." It was more of a statement than a question as Mickey refused to conceal his irritation. "Well that's brilliant, Rose. Really clever idea. You spend all that time with the dimension cannon - I don't think I need to remind you what that cost us - and now you're willing to just throw away your life here for the Doctor. You don't see 'im trying to get to Pete's World, do you?"

"Stop it! Just stop," Rose demanded as she sat up to face him. "That's not what I meant and I'm tired of everyone thinking they know what's going on in my head. Because you don't, Mickey. Not you and not Peter." She fell silent as she choked back more tears that threatened to fall. "And you're not gonna make me bloody cry! I've cried enough already the past few days."

"'M sorry, babe." Mickey pulled her back into an embrace. "I mean it, Rose. I shouldn't mouth off at you like that. I just don't want to see you get hurt again. I think if Peter says he loves you, then he means it. And if you feel the same about 'im, then maybe..."

Rose sighed against his shoulder. "Oh, Micks, I just don't know. Everything with Peter is confusing. I feel like maybe I shouldn't be allowed to..."  
   
Her words trailed off but Mickey knew exactly what she wasn't saying. She didn't mean to fall in love with anyone else. Rose had thought of nothing but returning to the Doctor for so long that she hadn't concerned herself with moving on. Then suddenly, without even realizing it, she had done just that.  Rose had accepted her life in Pete's World and moved on. Now she felt guilty for how quickly thoughts of Peter Carlisle were replacing thoughts of the Doctor.  And since Jack had popped back into her life, she had a constant reminder of the man she felt she was betraying.   
   
"You'll always love 'im, Rose," Mickey whispered. "But he's gone. You're allowed to love again. And Peter's a good bloke."  
   
"I know he is."   
   
"And you deserve to be happy. You know that too, right." Rose nodded and Mickey kissed the top of her head. "Slow things down a bit then.  Just don't push him away, yeah?"  
   
"Yeah. 'M trying... he said he will wait for me." She rubbed the single tear from her cheek and smiled.   
   
"Good," Mickey said with a grin. "That means I don't have to kick his Scottish arse."  
   
Rose giggled and gave Mickey a hug just as her mobile began to ring. She dug it out of her back pocket to see it was Peter calling. Her heart nearly leapt up into her throat. She had told Jack and Peter to call if anything went wrong...  
   
She fumbled with the touchscreen, hands trembling, and answered the call.   
   
"Hey, Rosie!" Jack said, sounding like his usual cheerful self.   
   
"Where's Peter?" she asked.   
   
"Well, I love you too." Jack pretended to be offended. "He's right here. He's driving. We're done for the day and wondered if you and Mickey Mouse want to meet for dinner."  
   
"Oh. Okay. Yeah we will meet you at the diner. Jack," Rose needed to hear for herself that they were both all right, "can I talk to him?  Just for a mo?"  
   
"Okay, okay. You love birds are kind of disgusting." Jack could hear her arguing that they weren't even dating as he handed the phone to Peter. "Here, Romeo. It's for you."  
   
oOo  
   
"Hello, Miss Tyler." Peter smiled to himself. "Cannae spend an afternoon without me, aye?"  
   
"Shut up." Rose rolled her eyes. "I just wanted to ask how things went today."  
   
"Couldnae ye ask Jack that?" His face split into a wide grin. "Were you worried about me?"  
   
"No!" She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. The way her voice cracked when she spoke the word made it quite obvious that she was lying. "Well maybe. Just a bit.  Yeah, I was worried about both of you."  
   
"Of course ye were."  
   
"I was. But now I just want to slap that smug grin off of your face," she laughed.   
   
"You wouldnae dare," he flirted.   
   
"Don't tempt me, yeah?  You're not as cute as you think you are. We'll see you in a bit."  
   
"Indeed ye will. Goodbye, Rose." Peter could feel Jack staring at him as he rang off. He shot him a sideways glance.  "What?"  
   
"Nothing at all," Jack replied. "Can I ask you a question, Peter?"  
   
"Well I don't suppose I can stop ye.  What's yer question?"  
   
"Has she told you about the Doctor?" Jack asked.  
   
"Aye. She has."  Peter tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "Why do ye ask?"  
   
"How long have the two of you been-"  
   
"We're not," Peter interrupted. "It's complicated."  
   
"Okay, how long have you had a complicated 'we're not together but I'm in love with her' relationship with Rose then?" Jack shook his head in disbelief. Leave it to Rose to find the Doctor's twin in this universe and have him end up with the same fear of commitment, he thought.   
   
"Not long." They both sat quietly for a few beats before Peter continued. "She's not ready to commit."  
   
"What?" Jack didn't attempt to conceal his shock. "ROSE isn't ready to commit to YOU? Why not? I mean if she's told you all about the Doctor, then she must have feelings... Oh, to hell with it! She's in love with you, Peter. I know her... I can tell."

"Is that so? Well I told her I loved her." Peter shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Let's just say she didnae appreciate the sentiment as much as one might hope."  
   
"You told her you loved her?" Peter nodded and Jack sighed. He sat quietly for a moment just studying Peter. "You're nothing like him, you know?"  
   
"Well that seems to be the general consensus," Peter said dryly. "Maybe that's the problem, aye?"  
   
oOo  
   
Rory Williams had made a decision. He had given the matter careful thought, imagining all of the possibilities. It all came down to one of two choices.   
   
He could mourn the loss of Amy, like any normal person, and move on. It wouldn't be easy, but maybe in time he'd no longer have to remind himself to breathe. Maybe he would eventually be able to go about his daily life without seeing her face at the turn of every corner. He might even find a way to sleep at night without burying his face in her pillow and crying until his throat hurt. Then, if he was lucky, he'd regain a sense of normalcy in his life and forget about his true love.   
   
 _Fat bloody chance!_  
   
Rory had decided to go with his second option. It was a bit mad - everything about this situation was - but it was his only hope. He couldn't simply accept the fact that Amy lived her life in the past without him. He had to at least try to find her and there was only one fathomable way to do that. 

The angel would have to send him back in time as well. 


	14. Chapter 14

"So you're just a gonna keep her in here for another three weeks?" Rose peered into the window of the enclosure at the Weeping Angel inside. "And she's no harm to anyone like this, yeah?"   
    
"She shouldn't be," Jack answered. He walked up beside Rose and looked in at the quantum locked creature. "If she hadn't already been sick when she crossed over, we might not have been able to get close enough to put her in this box. It gives me the creeps just thinking about what she could have been capable of," he said with a shiver.    
    
"This is the first time I've gotten a good look at her but - her shoulder - has it always been like that?"   
    
"No it hasn't. See there at her feet?" Jack pointed to a chunk of stone on the ground. "Right there on the other side of her. That used to be her shoulder. When Weeping Angels die, they begin to crumble. That's why I keep saying she won't survive here long enough to make the trip back."   
    
Rose and Jack stood in silence as they stared at the frozen statue. Rose felt the warmth of Peter's body as he stepped up closely behind her to look through the viewing window as well.    
    
"Let's not forget that thing sent a handful of people to their deaths before we found her, aye?" Peter spoke quietly as if the Weeping Angel might hear him. "I know it doesnae seem fair for her to die in a cage like this, but..."   
    
Jack clapped Peter on the shoulder and turned his attention back to Mickey chatting with a couple of police officers.    
    
"He's right, Rose. If she had the chance," he tilted his head toward the wooden box containing the angel statue, "she wouldn't think twice about zapping any one of us to regain a bit of her strength.  This wasn't exactly the plan, but it's the only choice we have."   
    
"I know," Rose sighed.    
   
Peter moved to stand beside Rose and placed his arm around her. He felt her body tense beneath his touch, and quickly jerked his arm away. "Sorry," he whispered without looking at her. 

    
"'S fine." She attempted a smile but it didn't reach her eyes. "I think I just need a break from this place. We've been here for nearly a week. I miss my flat. And that little chippy around the corner from the hub... eating a pint of ice cream in my pyjamas. I'm just ready to go back to Cardiff."   
    
"Aye." Peter nodded in agreement but he still refused to turn his gaze away from the Weeping Angel. He couldn't look at Rose for fear of saying things he would regret. The last thing he wanted to do was make a fool of himself in front of Jack and Mickey.    
    
Rose was right. They had been in Glynneath for a week now, and the tension between them was growing. They both tiptoed around each other. Their conversations were full of the usual niceties and the occasional flirting - on his part - but they were both incredibly uncomfortable.  Peter felt that the awkwardness was palpable, he was sure Rose felt it as well, and he wondered if it was as obvious to every one around them as he suspected.    
    
Adding to his grief was Rose's interaction with both Mickey and Jack. Their familiar banter and constant touching - whether it be hugging, arms placed around her, or the occasional playful jab in the ribs -  was increasingly unnerving. Any time Peter touched her, he received the same response; awkward glances and the feel of her body stiffening. He had resolved to talk to Rose about things as soon as they found themselves alone together. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. It was as if Rose went to great lengths to avoid being alone with him.    
    
Peter had vowed to rein in his feelings and give Rose time to figure out exactly what she wanted from him. Now it was becoming quite clear that his good intentions were backfiring. Their relationship was becoming increasingly strained.  His emotions were bubbling just below the surface and, at any given moment, he was going to burst. He just wasn't sure which would erupt from him first: the words of frustration cluttering his mind or the urge to capture her mouth in a bruising kiss. _Most definitely the latter_ , he thought.    
    
"Who's that?" Peter's reverie was interrupted by a nudge from Jack.    
    
Peter followed his gaze to a man who seemed to be arguing with one of the police officers. It was beginning to lightly must rain and without his glasses, Peter was having trouble identifying the man who was now clearly pointing in their direction. He squinted his eyes in an effort to focus in on their seemingly irate visitor.    
    
"That's Rory," Rose said. "I wonder what he's on about?"   
    
"Rory? The guy whose girlfriend disappeared?" Jack shrugged and watched as Rory continued to rant. "He looks pretty pissed off about something," he laughed.    
    
"I'll go talk to him." Rose began to move in the direction of Rory Williams and the police officer engaged in a heated debate.   
    
Mickey, seeing tempers flaring, stepped in Rose's way. "Let the officer handle that bloke, Rose. It's what they're here for."   
   
"Mickey, it's fine. That's Rory Williams, our eye witness. He's harmless."     
"Yeah. I can see that," Mickey said flatly as he watched another police officer attempt to restrain Rory from behind.    
    
"I mean it, Micks. Something must be wrong. I'll sort it out."  Rose stepped around Mickey and made her way to Rory.    
   
"Look, I'm telling you I'm not a nutter! I just need to speak to-" Rory saw Rose approaching and tried extract his hand to point. It was a useless attempt since the copper had a firm, twisting hold on both of his wrists. He nodded his head I'm her direction and continued, "See there. I told you I know these people. I just need to speak to Miss Tyler."   
    
"He's okay, officers. We've been expecting Mr. Williams," she lied. "'M sorry. I should've mentioned he would be stopping by but we've been so busy it just slipped my mind."    
    
The two police officers exchanged a look of exasperation. After agreeing that Rose should have informed them of her expected visitor, they apologized to Rory and continued on their perimeter walk of the house.    
    
"Are you all right?" Rose finally asked when the coppers were a sake distance away.    
    
"Yeah." Rory rubbed at his aching wrists. "I'll be fine. No thanks to those wankers." He looked away and shook his head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I know they were just doing their job. I've just... it's been a rough couple of days."   
    
"I can see that." Rose looked at him with an arched eyebrow. "Care to tell me what's going on?"   
   
"I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me regarding Amy. The information from the news archives, I mean. I never thanked you. I was a bit distraught when last we spoke and-"   
   
"Quite right too." As soon as the words left her mouth, Rose winced internally. They were a sudden reminder of the love she herself had been eternally separated from. She placed a hand on his arm and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I truly am sorry there's nothing I can do for her, Rory."   
    
"I know. I believe you. I've been thinking about it and... well... I think I've come up with a solution."   
    
"Really? What is it?"   
    
"I want the angel to send me back too."  Rory finally met her eyes and waited but Rose had no immediate response. "I know it sounds mad but I'm serious. I can't live without her. I won't."   
    
"It's not mad, Rory. Well, it _is_ a bit but... I understand completely." Rose worried her bottom lip in thought for a moment. "I'm just not sure if the angel can do that."   
    
"Not sure if the old girl can do what?" Rose and Rory had been so deep in conversation that they didn't hear Jack approaching until he spoke.    
    
"Jack... Rory, this is Jack Harkness. He's our resident expert on the Weeping Angels. Jack, this is Rory Williams." Rose smiled at Rory but quickly shot Jack an annoyed glance as the men shook hands.    
    
"Sorry, Rory, I know you were talking privately with Rose." Jack winked at Rose and she rolled her eyes. "I have a terrible habit of sticking my nose into other people's business.  What was it that you were wanting the angel to do?"   
    
"Actually, Mr. Harkness-"   
    
"Call me Jack, please." Jack flashed his winning smile as Rose's face was beginning to turn pink with annoyance.    
    
"Right. Jack. You see, Jack, I was telling Rose that the only resolution I can think of for my situation is to have the angel send me back in time. With Amy." Rory swallowed hard and cleared his throat. "Can it do that? Send me to where Amy is, I mean."   
    
Jack's smile quickly faded. He turned to Rose to gauge what sort of response she wanted him to give, but she seemed to be genuinely awaiting a straightforward  answer. He tilted his head to the side and gave Rory a long look before answering.    
    
"If we were back home, then that would be a possibility - not one I would agree with, but still possible." Rory started to interrupt but Jack ignored him and explained further. "As things stand, that's not something I'm willing to entertain. She's sick." He glanced back over his shoulder at where the angel was encased. "Not just sick - she's dying. Besides that, she's very far from home. There is no way of knowing where you might end up if she touched you."   
    
"Right," Rory replied quietly.    
    
I'm sorry, Rory." Jack placed his hand on Rory's shoulder. "I can't, in good conscience, allow you to try it. It's just too dangerous." Rory nodded and fixed his gaze on the ground. Turning back to Rose, Jack said, "We're just about finished here for the day.  We'll be ready to leave when you are."   
    
"Okay." Rose looked from Jack to Rory and back again. "I'll just be a mo, yeah?"   
    
"Yeah. Rory, it was nice to meet you. I'm really sorry I can't do anything more to help you." Rory simply nodded at his feet again and Jack headed back toward Mickey and Peter.    
    
Rory raised his head to watch Jack walk away in the direction of the Weeping Angel.    
    
"I was planning on coming back here tonight and trying it anyway," he said without looking at Rose. "I guess that's out of the question now that you've put her in some sort of cage thing..."   
    
"Yeah, that was Jack's idea. He's been calling her is 'chick-in-a-box'. Which he finds to be quite amusing but... I don't really get it."    
    
"Right," Rory sighed. "Well I guess that's it then. I should go home and try to get some sleep. I've been up most nights trying to sort this out in my head. Seems it hasn't done me any good."   
    
"I know you don't believe me, but I know how you feel. I know what it's like to be separated from someone you love by forces beyond your control. It will eventually get easier, Rory. I promise." Rose pulled Rory into a tight hug and kissed his cheek. "Get some rest and if you need to talk, you can call me. I mean that."   
    
Rory nodded and sniffed back tears before walking away. Rose tucked a stray piece of damp hair behind her ear as she watched him leave. The misty drizzle of rain had stopped, but left behind a haze of fog. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself for warmth before turning back toward her friends.    
    
And Peter.    
    
As she walked, Rose watched him gather equipment and wondered how he made the simplest things look sexy. The way his dimples pierced his cheeks when he pressed his lips together in frustration. Or how he was always running his tongue across his top lip when he was in deep thought. Now, though, it was the crinkles around his eyes as he smiled, shaking his head at something completely inappropriate Jack just said.    
    
Peter had been driving her mad for days and she was sure that he was completely oblivious. The slightest, most innocent touch from him would cause every muscle in her body to grow tense. Rose had unconsciously reached for his hand more than once, only to stop herself at the last second and stuff her hands in the pockets of her jeans. She was beginning to realize how ludicrous it had been to think she could just be friends with Peter. That would never be enough for her - nor for him - and her resolve was slowly disintegrating.    
    
oOo   
    
Peter watched Rose from his seat inside the Glynneath Diner. She was leaned back against the black Torchwood SUV in the cold evening air talking on her mobile.  He could see the occasional shiver pass over her body as the icy breeze blew against her face and she tucked an errant lock of hair behind her ear. The urge to hold her close to his warm body and shield her from the wind outside was overwhelming, but he knew he couldn't.    
    
"Oi, mate!" Mickey nodded his head toward the waitress standing next to their table, pen and paper in hand, impatiently looking at Peter. "You want something to drink or d'ya just want to stare off into space?"   
   
"Aye, sorry." Peter smiled apologetically at the waitress. "I think I'll just have water and", glancing at Rose, "she'll have a diet cola."   
    
"Already ordered for her, pal," Jack chimed in.    
    
"Right. Just the water for now then," Peter winked.    
   
The waitress blushed and went to retrieve their drinks. Peter's eyes were once again drawn to Rose. She had been on her mobile for nearly ten minutes out in the cold. "What's Pete on about?" Peter asked no one in particular.    
    
"Oh she's not talking to Pete," Jack grinned. "Five quid, no make that a tenner, says Pete Tyler said what he had to say in two minutes flat. Jackie has taken over that call by now."   
    
Just then, Rose looked up to see all three men looking at her from inside the diner. She pointed at her mobile and dramatically rolled her eyes, causing them to erupt with laughter.    
    
"Spot on, mate!" Mickey laughed.   
    
When the waitress returned with their drinks, Jack knocked on the window to catch Rose's attention. Holding up her drink, he pointed at it and arched an eyebrow. Rose, taking the hint, finally rang off and rushed inside to warm up.    
   
"Sorry." Rose slid into the booth seat next to Jack and directly across from Peter. "You know how mum is..."   
    
"Yes we do," Jack laughed. "What does the lovely Jackie Tyler have to say on this fine day?" He frowned at the dreary weather outside.    
    
"There's a Vitex thing on the weekend and she says I must make an appearance."   
    
"Oh a party?" Jack's face split into a wide grin. "I'd love to be your date!  Thanks so much for asking."   
    
Rose elbowed him in the ribs and laughed. "No chance. Someone's gotta stay here and keep an eye on things."   
    
"Come on, Rose. Today's only Monday," Jack whined. "I can be spared by this weekend."    
    
"Oi, I wouldn't trust you on a date with her anyway," Mickey said with a teasing glare.    
    
"Don't worry, Mick's, I'm more than capable of handling myself with the Captain."   
    
"Oh, sweetheart, I have no doubt you are," Jack said suggestively and waggled his eyebrows.    
    
Peter cleared his throat and interrupted their banter before it went too far. He knew Jack was only joking, but he couldn't ignore the jealously that welled up inside him every time Jack - or anyone else - flirted with Rose. "So we're going back to Cardiff then?" he asked.    
    
"Well, I am. Tomorrow morning." Rose blatantly refused to meet Peter's eyes. "And Mickey will come with me while you and Jack monitor the situation here."   
    
"What?" Peter was suddenly fuming with anger. "Why?"   
    
"'M sorry, Peter, but the angel needs to be looked after. Pete said there were some things at the hub that Mickey or I need to take care of and then the Vitex gala..." She finally forced herself to look at Peter as she spoke to him. "It's best if you stay here with Jack while Mickey and I go to Cardiff."   
    
Peter wanted to argue but he bit down on his tongue until he tasted blood instead. "Well, yer the boss," he grumped.   
    
oOo   
    
There was a knock at the door as Rose finished packing her things for the trip back to Cardiff. With every piece of clothing she hastily threw into her suitcase, Rose couldn't deny to herself that she was running away from a much needed conversation with Peter.    
    
"'S open, Micks," she called from the en suite as she gathered her things.    
    
The door to her hotel room opened, then closed, but she came out of the en suite to find Peter instead of Mickey.    
    
"I thought you were Mickey."   
    
"Sorry. I'm not," Peter replied.    
    
"So I see." Rose aimed for a laugh but she choked on the awkward tension and cleared her throat.   
    
"What's been going on with ye lately?" Peter crossed his arms and sat down on the arm of the sofa. As he did, he was instantly reminded of holding Rose's naked body against his on that very sofa. He glanced at the en suite and thought of the two of them in the shower. Then he looked at Rose, sitting on the edge of the bed, and his mind was clouded with thoughts of himself sitting in that spot - only a week ago - while Rose knelt before him and...   
    
"I told you. I need a break from this place," Rose finally answered.    
    
"Ye mean ye need a break from me."  It wasn't a question. Peter knew exactly what she wasn't saying.    
    
"Yeah," Rose sighed. "'M sorry, Peter. But, yeah, I need some distance between us."   
    
"Why?" Peter shook his head in disbelief. "What have I done? I've made every effort to-"   
    
"It's nothing you've done wrong," Rose interrupted. "Really, Peter, you've been great about all of this. More than great, actually. I don't even deserve how understanding you've been."    
    
She stood from where she was sitting on the bed and began to busy herself with her suitcase. Peter closed the distance between them and placed his hands over hers, putting an end to her effort to distract herself.    
    
"Rose, look at me." He ducked his head to meet her line of sight as she continued to stare at the suitcase. "Rose Tyler, you deserve... everything. Everything I have to give. If ye need time, I'll give ye time, but please don't run away from me." Peter held both of her hands against his chest. "I'm trying very hard to be yer friend... but et's hurting me more than ye can imagine. Then when ye recoil at my touch like ye have been recently, et's like yer squeezing the life out of my heart, Rose."   
    
Peter traced the path of a tear down Rose's cheek with his thumb then leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead.    
    
"Ye have to tell me what's going on in that pretty wee head of yers." He rested his forehead against hers and smiled. "I cannae read yer mind. And et's nae for lack of trying, aye?"   
    
"It's not at all what you think," she said with a sniffle. "It's nothing you've done wrong... it's just... everything you've done right."   
    
"That makes no sense, love." Peter pulled her into a tight embrace and sighed against the crown of her head.    
    
"I know," she laughed into his chest. "I can't think clearly when I'm with you every day. It's making me forget why we might be such a bad idea."   
    
"Aye." Peter placed his hands on Rose's shoulders and held her at arm's length. He studied her face for a few beats before a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.    
    
"Well then," he said as he pulled her close. "Let me remind you why we're such a good one."   
    
Rose's body seemed to melt against Peter's as his mouth covered hers. For a moment she thought of nothing but the taste of his tongue, the softness of his lips, and the heat of her arousal rushing through her veins. Peter backed her against the wall, never breaking the kiss, and his hands began to roam down her body.    
   
"Peter, we can't." She gasped for air as his mouth moved to nip at her neck. "Really... should stop..."  
    
"Please." He bucked his hips against hers and traced the shape of her ear with his tongue. "Please, Rose," he whispered.    
    
She stopped his hands with her own and tried to put some distance between them. It was a fruitless effort as she was already pressed firmly against a wall.    
    
"No. I'm leaving in the morning. This won't change my mind."   
    
"I'm nae trying to change yer mind about tomorrow Rose." Peter shifted his body away from hers slightly, giving them room to breathe, and placed a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth. "I'm trying to change yer mind about the rest of our lives."   
    
"Only that then?" Rose attempted to joke but she could see the intensity in Peter's eyes.    
    
"Do ye love me, Rose?" He smoothed a piece of hair behind her ear and kissed her temple.    
    
"Please, Peter, don't ask me tha-"   
    
"If ye cannae tell me ye do," he interrupted, "then can ye tell me ye don't?"   
    
"Peter, I..." She looked at the man staring back at her, waiting with bated breath for her reply. She combed the fringe out of his eyes with her fingers and then traced the stubble along his jaw. He was beautiful and she did love him even if she wasn't ready to say it. Rose decided she at least owed it to him, and to herself, to be honest. "No. I can't - I won't - tell you I don't love you."


	15. Chapter 15

Rose Tyler collapsed onto the oversized chair of her Cardiff flat. Nestling herself into one corner, she threw her legs over the opposite arm of the chair and kicked off her shoes. She had arrived back in Cardiff Wednesday morning to find stacks of paperwork on her desk at Torchwood. Now it was Friday evening, two full work days later, and she was ready to relax... and eat. 

Peeling herself away from her comfortable spot in the chair, Rose crossed the room to the small wooden table to the right of the front door to her flat where she had deposited her mobile and keys. She grabbed her mobile and began typing a text to Mickey. 

//How's you, me, and a couple packets of chips sound?

Rose plopped back into her chair as she hit send. 

>>sorry babe. meeting Martha for dinner tonight. 

//Oh, right. That's still on then? When will that lovely girl come to her senses? ;)

>>ha ha. you're a regular Miranda Hart. when's the beeb giving you your very own comedy show?

//Very soon... don't worry, I'll remember all of the little people I met along the way to stardom. 

>>right... you know you could be in Glynneath in an hour. I hear they have good chips there. 

//So now you're trying to be funny? Don't quit your day job, love.

>>I'm serious. there's a skinny Scottish bloke there who would just LOVE to see you. I hear he's been a right mess since you left.

Rose scoffed at the text and rolled her eyes as she typed a reply. 

//Done talking to you now. Enjoy the rest of your night, TOSSER!

She knew Mickey was only half joking about Peter. She had spoken to him briefly on the previous two nights when he called to give her a daily report of how matters in Glynneath were progressing. Before Rose had left on Wednesday morning, she had given Jack strict instructions to call her every night even if only to tell her there were no changes with the Weeping Angel. She was not at all surprised when it had been Peter, not Jack, who had called her to check in on Wednesday night. And again the next night. 

Their relationship - there was no point in trying to deny they were, in fact, in a relationship - had become a little complicated. _Maybe a lot complicated_ , Rose thought. When Peter had come to her hotel room the night before she left, she had all but told him she loved him. Thinking about it now still made her nervous. She hadn't said those words - hadn't wanted to - since saying them to the Doctor that day on the beach. _And that worked out just brilliantly, didn't it?_ But when Peter had said goodbye to her the morning she and Mickey left for Cardiff - when he thoroughly snogged her in the car park for Mickey and Jack to see, then leaned in to whisper "Just another friendly reminder to take with ye." - she had never wanted to say three words so desperately in her life. And that scared her more than she was ready to admit. 

The ringing mobile in her hand jerked Rose back to the present. She looked down to see that Mickey was calling and answered jokingly, "You're still a tosser and I'm still not talkin' to you."

"And I was callin' to invite you to dinner with Martha and me." Mickey pretended to be offended. "Now I've changed my mind though."

"Seriously, Micks, I'm fine on my own. You go and enjoy a night out with Martha. I'll get some chips and watch some telly."

"Are you sure, babe? We really wouldn't mind if-"

"'M sure," Rose interrupted. "I need to stay in tonight anyway. 'M leavin' for London earlier than you are in the morning, remember? I should pack a bag for the weekend and Peter will be callin' soon enough to update me on things in Glynneath."

"You _could_ go see 'im, Rose. You don't really have to be in London in the morning. It won't be the end of the world if you wait and ride along with me later in the day. Jackie would understa-"

"No. I promised mum I would spend the day with her and Tony before the party tomorrow night. She's made appointments at the salon for both of us and everything. Besides... I need to talk to mum about Peter anyway."

"I don't know why you're makin' this so hard on yourself, Rose. You're allowed to be in love and allowed to be happy, yeah? Your mum is gonna tell you the same thing."

"Yeah. You're probably right."

"I _know_ I'm right, babe," Mickey sighed. "Jackie loves you even more than I do and she wants you to be happy. If she was here right now, she would tell you to stop being daft and tell the poor man that you love 'im."

"Okay. That's enough out of you, mate. Stop channelling Jackie Tyler and go have dinner with your girlfriend, yeah? There's a packet of chips around the corner callin' my name," Rose laughed. 

"Yeah, okay. I'll see you tomorrow night," Mickey grinned. "I'll be the handsome bloke in the smart suit."

"Careful there, Handsome Bloke. If your head swells any bigger, they'll have to knock down a wall or two just so you can enter the party." 

Rose laughed to herself as she said good night to Mickey. All joking aside, she knew he was right about one thing: Jackie Tyler would most definitely think she was being daft. 

oOo

"She's lost some bits of her face since the last time I checked," Peter said to Jack as he examined the Weeping Angel through the window of the encasement. "That was what? An hour ago?"

"Just about," Jack frowned. 

"How long do ye think she'll last?"

"I can't say for sure... but not long." Jack finished packing up the rest of their equipment and walked over to peer in on the creature. "Damn. She's deteriorating fast." He clapped a hand on Peter's shoulder and grinned. "The good news is: you'll be rid of me sooner than you thought."

"Indeed," Peter joked. "That certainly is cause for a celebratory pint."

"I couldn't agree more but unfortunately, I can't tonight." Jack was eyeing one of the local officers who had been assigned to guard the Weeping Angel. Peter didn't fail to notice the wink and wave of a hand that Jack directed at the young copper. "I've made _other_ plans for tonight."

"Well, then," Peter nodded at the uniformed officer walking toward his car. "Dinna let me get in yer way."

"Nah, I'm meeting him later. He's cute though. Don't you think?"

"Sure." Peter assumed this was the correct answer but, honestly, a bloke was a bloke in his opinion. "He's simply adorable."

Jack guffawed and grabbed Peter by the arm.

"Yeah. _Adorable_. Come on," Jack said shaking his head, "Let's get you back to the hotel before you raise that left eyebrow at Officer Hotpants and I lose any chance with him."

Most of their drive across town to the hotel was spent in companionable silence. Peter was preoccupied with thoughts of Rose. He hadn't seen her since 7:30 Wednesday morning - exactly fifty-seven hours and nineteen minutes ago - and he missed her terribly. He was debating with himself, since Jack declined a trip to the pub, whether he should drive to Cardiff and surprise Rose in time for dinner. Would she be glad to see him and think it romantic if he showed up at her flat with fish and chips? Or would she be angry with him for showing up uninvited after she had told him they needed some time apart? 

Peter was successfully convincing himself that fifty-seven hours and twenty-two minutes _was_ time apart when Jack interrupted his thoughts. 

"When you call Rosie later, tell her I don't think the Weeping Angel will survive the weekend."

"That soon?"

"I'm afraid so." Jack had been thinking of Rose as he drove to the hotel as well. If he was leaving Pete's World without the angel, then he had an extra vortex manipulator that could be used to transport _someone else_. Would Rose want to leave with him? Should he even offer? 

"I think I may just go to Cardiff tonight." Peter nervously cleared his throat. "Do ye think Rose would mind if-"

"I think that's a brilliant idea! Is she still planning to go to London in the morning?" Peter nodded. "You should go. If anything should happen here, I can handle it."

Jack parked the Torchwood SUV in the car park and he and Peter stepped into the lift. 

"Ye think she will be upset if I just show up?" Peter asked. 

Jack turned to look him in the eyes. "Peter," he placed a hand on Peter's shoulder and squeezed reassuringly, "Rose is as mad about you as you are about her. And judging by that kiss you two shared on Wednesday morning," Jack winked, "she'll be glad to see you."

"Aye. Thanks, Jack."

"Don't mention it." Jack pulled Peter into a hug. "You're good for her, Peter, and I can tell you love her."

The lift opened and the two men stepped out into the hallway. Before turning in opposite directions toward their respective rooms, Jack placed his hands on either side of Peter's face. 

"I'm glad you care enough to be patient," Jack said before pressing his lips firmly against Peter's. 

Peter's eyes widened in shock. _What. The. Fu-_

Jack broke the kiss and gently smacked Peter's cheek. "She's worth it," he said before turning on his heel to walk away. 

oOo

Rose slipped on her shoes and grabbed her jacket. After a not so brief phone call to her mum, she was just about to leave her flat for the chip shop when her mobile began to ring again. Without looking at the id display, she accepted the call and said, "Mum, I really am starving. Can I call you-"

"I think Jack fancies me," Peter interrupted. 

"Peter? What?" Rose froze in mid reach for her keys. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I think Jack _fancies_ me!" The statement, when repeated, revealed more terror in his voice. "He kissed me tonight."

Rose tried unsuccessfully to stifle a giggle. 

"Et's nae bloody funny, Rose Tyler." Peter's voice rose higher with each word. "What am I to do?"

"Peter," Rose continued to laugh, "Jack doesn't fancy you. That's just how he is."

"How do ye know he doesnae fancy me? Why wouldn't he fancy me?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, did you _want_ him to fancy you? Because I could maybe put in a good word for you."

"No. That's... no. I didnae mean that," Peter stammered. "I just... he fancies blokes, ye know."

"Yes, Peter, I know. He doesn't fancy you, though. But now that I think about it... 'M a bit miffed. As soon as I turn my back, that little bugger kisses my-" Rose stopped herself before finishing the thought. 

"Go on... kisses yer... what?"

"Oh, shut up. You know what I mean." No matter how many times rose called Peter her boyfriend in her own mind, it still felt strange to say it out loud. "Where's he now? I'm gonna have words with that Casanova."

"He's back in Glynneath," Peter answered. 

"What do you mean _back_ in Glynneath? Where are you?"

"Did ye say ye were hungry?" Peter pretended not to hear her question. "I'm a wee bit peckish myself."

"Yeah, I was just about to-" Rose startled at the knock on the door. "Hold on, someone is at the door."

Rose opened the door to find Peter standing there with takeout in his hand and a smile on his face. 

"Fish and chips for two," he grinned. 

Rose stood, gobsmacked, still holding her mobile to her ear. 

"Peter." She blinked her eyes as if she were hallucinating. "What are you doin' here?"

"Erm, well I wanted to surprise ye." His grin turned to a nervous half smile. "I'm sorry, Rose. I should have called ye first."

Rose threw her arms around his neck, nearly knocking him down with a crushing hug. With one hand still holding bags of food, Peter snaked his free arm around her waist and held her tight against him. 

"Peter Carlisle, you are mad," Rose said as she stood on her tiptoes to press her lips to his cheek. 

"Yes. I know." Peter placed a kiss on the tip of her nose. "Are ye going to invite me in, then?"

"I s'pose I could," she said with her tongue touched grin. 

"Now don't be a cheeky lass. Dinna forget I have the food." Peter dangled the bag in front of her and jerked it up, just out of her reach, when she tried to grab it. He stepped quickly around her and into the flat as she closed the door behind him. 

Peter made his way to the kitchen and began unpacking the food from the take out bags and placing it on the table. 

"Drinks?" He quirked an eyebrow at her as he sucked a bit of salt off of his thumb. "I didna get any. I assumed ye'd have something."

"Yeah. What do you want?"

"Water, juice, cola, beer," he grinned. "I don't even care. Anything ye have will be brilliant."

"Water it is, then."

"Wait." Peter grabbed her by the arm as she passed by him and pulled her close. "Can I hug ye properly now that I don't have my arms full of fish and chips?" He wrapped both arms tightly around her and she leaned her head against his chest. 

They stood there for a moment just holding each other with eyes closed. Peter bent down to kiss the top of her head and breathe in the scent of her shampoo. "Oh, Rose," he sighed. "I've missed ye so much."

"It's only been two days."

Peter took a step back, startling Rose. 

"Two days? Two days implies a mere forty-eight hours. We've nae seen each other in fifty nine hours and," looking down at his watch to check the exact time,"two minutes, Rose."

"You're right," she giggled. "That's criminal." She wrapped her arms back around his waist. "I've missed you too, Peter."

"Have ye?" He narrowed his eyes and pressed his tongue against the back of his teeth. "How much?"

"Very much," Rose replied and tiptoed up to place a soft kiss on his lips. 

"Aye. Well, surely ye missed me more than _that_." Peter leaned down to kiss her again but Rose stopped him with a hand on his mouth. 

"Wait. Did Jack really kiss you?"

"Aye." Peter pressed his lips together in a straight line. "He really kissed me," he said flatly. 

"How? I mean... what kind of kiss? Tell me exactly what happened."

"Like this." Peter placed his hand on either side of her face and tilted his head down to press his lips firmly against hers for a few beats before breaking the kiss. 

"Oh. Okay." Rose sounded relieved. 

"What do ye mean _okay_?"

"I mean that's just Jack bein' Jack. He's a kisser, that one. But if he had put his tongue in your mouth, I was prepared to cut it off."

Peter laughed and brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face with his finger. "Is that so?" Rose nodded. "Ye mean like this?" 

He tilted her head back to the perfect angle and covered her mouth with his. Peter slipped his tongue past her parted lips and his arms wrapped around her. He held her body flush against his as he sucked her bottom lip into his mouth and held it briefly between his teeth before pulling away. 

"Umm, a bit like that, yeah," Rose whispered. 

"Fortunately for Jack," Peter grinned, "it was nothing like that. He gets to keep is tongue."

Rose slapped him on the shoulder and giggled. "You're an arse."

"I've been called much worse, Miss Tyler." Peter waggled his eyebrows and gave her one last chaste kiss. "Let's eat. The food is getting cold."

oOo

Peter woke to the sound of a man with an obnoxious voice talking on the telly. After dinner he had helped Rose pack a bag for her trip to London. Which basically consisted of him watching her pack and interrupting with occasional snogs and heavy petting. 

They had managed to keep their clothes on and eventually ended up cuddling together on the sofa to watch a Harry Potter movie marathon. As Peter awoke he realized the movies had been replaced by an annoying infomercial and Rose was sound asleep in his arms. He shifted beneath her, trying not to disturb her head lying on his chest, to find the remote. Once the telly was turned off, the silence in the room allowed him to hear the faintest of snores coming from the woman sleeping half on top of him. 

Peter listened to the sounds of Rose sleeping for several quiet moments. He felt every rise and fall of her chest as she slept pressed against him. A smile spread across his face as he brushed her dark blonde hair away from her forehead and bent down to kiss her there. 

"Rose. Wake up, love."

"Hmmmm... five more minutes," she growled. 

"No. Ye need to get into bed. We fell asleep watching Harry Potter," he laughed. 

Rose huffed and quickly resumed her tiny snores. 

"Right. Good." Peter shook his head and began to untangle his legs from hers. He stood, lifted her into his arms, and carried her into her bedroom. 

Rose began to stir as he pulled back the duvet and placed her on the bed. 

"Rose, do ye want me to take off yer jeans?" Peter quietly asked as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"What?" Rose opened on eye and peered at him. 

"Yer jeans? Do ye want to sleep in them?"

"No." She began to sleepily tug at her jeans. "Help?"

Peter unzipped her jeans and pulled them off for her. Then he covered her with the duvet and peppered kisses on her cheek, forehead, nose, and chin. 

"Do ye need anything else, love?" He whispered to her and placed a final kiss on her neck behind her ear. 

"No. 'M fine. Goodnight, Peter," Rose said with eyes already closed. 

"Goodnight, Rose. I'll see ye in the morning, aye?"

Peter rose from his seat next to her on the bed and turned out the light glowing from the en suite. He glanced back at the digital clock on Rose's bed side table before leaving the room. It was a few minutes past midnight. 

He quietly slipped on his shoes and began searching for something to write a note on when he heard light footsteps behind him. 

"What're you doing?" Rose yawned. 

"I was looking for some paper to leave ye a note. Call me when ye wake in the morning, aye?"

"Where are you going?"

"To my flat. I'm staying in Cardiff tonight, remember?"

"Yeah. I just... I thought..." Rose rubbed her eyes and tried to focus on his face in the dark. "You're not stayin' here?"

"Are ye sure, Rose?"

"Of course I'm sure." Rose closed the distance between them and leaned her sleepy head against his chest. Peter's arm automatically wrapped around her waist. "Please stay." She looked up at him. "I don't want to wake up alone in the morning."

"You never have to wake up alone again, Rose." Peter curled a finger beneath her chin and tilted her face toward his. His kiss was slow and deliberate but not without passion. "I mean that. Ye know I do."

Rose said nothing. She took Peter's hand, laced her fingers with his, and led him to the bedroom. 

Peter kicked off his shoes as they entered her room. He shucked his jeans and tee shirt as Rose crawled back into bed and he slid in behind her. She nestled her body against his and he wrapped his arms around her. Peter couldn't help but notice how perfectly their bodies fit against one another, spooned together under Rose's warm duvet. 

"This is nice." Rose kissed his arm that was wrapped across her chest. Peter responded with a kiss to the back of her neck. "'M sorry that 'm such hard work, Peter," she whispered. "I just-"

"Ye have nothing to be sorry for. Don't apologize, Rose." Peter kissed her shoulder and his mouth lingered on her skin as he spoke. "We're both here right now. That's all that matters to me. I don't care about yesterday, last week, last year... Just us. Right here. Right now."

Rose turned her head slightly toward him and pressed her cheek against his. He held her close in silence for a few moments before he mustered up enough nerve to speak. 

"Jack says the angel won't survive the weekend." He spoke quietly. "He'll be leaving soon."

Peter held his breath awaiting her reaction. No one had talked much about what would happen when Jack returned to his universe. At least not that Peter was aware of. He hoped Rose would stay with him forever, but he still feared she might not. 

"Well," Rose finally said. "I guess you'll have to find yourself a new boyfriend," she giggled. 

"Well, ye wicked little..." His words trailed off as he tickled the back of her neck with the stubble of his chin, sending her into a fit of laughter. 

"Stop! I'm sorry," Rose squealed. 

Peter turned her around in his arms and silenced her giggles with a kiss. He rolled on to his back and Rose cuddled against the crook of his shoulder. 

They grew silent again as Peter traced patterns up and down her arm. He felt Rose's breathing steady as she began to drift off to sleep once again. 

"Peter," she whispered. 

"Hmm?"

"I'm glad you brought me dinner tonight."

"Aye." He kissed her forehead. "Me too, love."

Rose lazily ran her fingers through the smattering of hair on his chest. 

"Best surprise ever," she smiled and closed her eyes.


	16. Chapter 16

"Rose?" Peter rubbed his hand over the vacant spot next to him. The bed sheets we're still warm from Rose's body but she wasn't there. He cleared his throat, voice still gravelly from sleep, and called out a bit louder. "Rose, where are you?"

He heard the quick steps of Rose's bare feet padding through the flat and smiled when she appeared. She was still wearing the tee shirt and knickers she had slept in and her hair was a beautiful dark blonde mess. 

"You look lovely," Peter grinned. 

"Shut up." Rose rolled her eyes and hopped back into bed. "'M cold." She touched her chilled feet to Peter's warm legs to prove her point. 

"Bloody hell," he yelped. "Yer wee legs are like icicles." Peter pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms and legs around her in an effort to share his warmth. Placing a kiss in her hair, he asked, "Why were ye out of bed?"

"I texted my mum to tell her I'd be arriving in London a bit later than planned." She snuggled against his bare chest. "I told her there was a warm, hairy, Scottish man in my bed and I couldn't bear to part from him this morning."

"Is that so?"

"Mmhmm." Rose buried her face in his neck. "I might've also mentioned the rain teemin' down out there and how I'd like to wait until it passes before I leave out."

"Well, I thank the heavens for giving us the lovely rain shower this morning," Peter laughed. He stretched his neck to see that the clock showed the time to be 6:44am. "What time do ye have to go?"

"In a couple hours." Rose traced her finger along the length of his neck, passing over his Adam's apple, and stopped to tap her finger on a particular spot. "Wanna know what I love about you?"

"Oh, yes." Peter arched his eyebrows and smirked. "Do tell us, Miss Tyler."

"This little freckle of a mole right here." She continued tapping the spot on his neck. "I catch myself starin' at it all the time."

"Liar," Peter giggled the most adorable giggle Rose had ever heard and she grinned at him. "I have never seen ye staring lustfully at my neck."

"Well then, you don't pay close attention." She leaned over and kissed the little dark circle on his neck. "I just wanna kiss it every time I see it. And maybe just," she nipped lightly at his neck with her teeth, "bite it."

"Mmmm..." Peter closed his eyes and tilted his head back, giving her better access to his neck. "Naebody's stopping ye," he growled. 

Rose bit down harder on his neck then laved the spot with her tongue, eliciting a deep moan from Peter. He slid his long, slender fingers through her hair and guided her face up to meet his. 

"I love," Peter licked her bottom lip, "your lips." He slipped his tongue into her mouth and tasted her, sucking gently on the tip of her tongue. "And yer tongue. I love yer tongue. Especially when it curls around yer teeth as ye grin."

They kissed each other for what felt like hours. Lazily exploring each other's mouths with teeth and tongues as their bodies pressed almost painfully against one another. 

Rose kissed along Peter's stubble laden jaw, leaving a wet trail on her way to his ear. She nipped his earlobe and whispered, "Do you know what else I love about you?"

Her warm breath tickled his ear as she spoke and he giggled again.

"First of all," Rose grinned, "that ridiculous giggle. I didn't know a grown man could really giggle like a school girl."

"Oi! Dinna be making fun of me. I cannae help the sounds I make." He captured her lips with his again. "Et's yer fault," he whispered. 

"So besides the manly giggle," Rose winked, "know what else I love about you?"

"No." He brushed a piece of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear before placing a kiss on the tip of her nose. "Tell me."

"Everything." She looked searchingly into his brown eyes, wondering if he realized what she was finally trying to say to him. 

"What...Rose, what are you?" He pressed his lips together and tried to swallow the lump welling up in his throat. After taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Tell me again, Rose," he whispered. 

"I love the way you look at me as if I'm the only person in the universe that matters. I love the way you get jealous when Jack flirts with me although you _know_ he doesn't mean it. I love the way you care enough to get angry and yell sometimes. I love the way you always apologize even if it's not entirely your fault. I love the way I feel when I'm with you." She cupped his cheek with her hand and stroked the two day old stubble with her thumb. "I never expected to be truly happy ever again - it scares me, Peter - but I'm happy when I'm with you." 

They both burst into tears and laughter all at once as their emotions bubbled over. Peter sat up in the bed and pulled Rose into his lap, hugging her fiercely. 

"I love ye so bloody much, I'm surprised my heart doesna burst out of my chest." He fell back into the bed, pulling her on top of him, and kissed her soundly. "I'm sorry I'm jealous, Rose. I don't want to be. And I know I'm a twat when I'm angry. Ye know I don't mean half the shite I say. I'll try harder-"

"Peter." Rose covered his mouth with her hand to quiet him. "I love you. All of you. The good and the bad. I'm not askin' you to change anything, yeah?"

Peter nodded and she replaced her hand with her lips. He held her close as they kissed and rolled over on the bed so that he was now above her. 

"Rose Tyler," he said between kisses. "I... love you."

Rose wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled Peter down hard against her. Their kisses became needy and almost sloppy as their tongues fought for dominance. He slipped his hands under the hem of her tee shirt and slid them across her smooth skin only to stop when both hands covered her breasts. Peter squeezed gently and teased her nipples with his thumbs. 

Rose could feel him harden as he pressed himself against her thigh and she bucked her hips against him. She scratched her nails lightly down his bare back and slid her hands into his pants, grabbing his arse and pulling him even closer to her. Peter gasped at the friction Rose created as she began to grind her hips against him. 

"Off," she demanded as she pulled at the waistband of his pants. 

"Yes, dear." Peter grinned as he rolled off of her to remove his pants. He helped her pull her tee shirt over her head and tossed it across the room. Rose tugged at her knickers but Peter placed his hand on hers to still her. "Wait. Let's slow this down a bit, aye?"

Peter positioned himself between Rose's open legs. He leaned back on his haunches and slowly dragged her knickers off, dropping them to the floor beside the bed. He took a moment to allow his eyes to travel along her body, memorizing every curve. He circled her right nipple with his finger and pinched it gently before moving to give the left one he same treatment. 

"Yer beautiful, Rose." He leaned down to suck on one of her now hardened nipples. "And yer mine, aye?" His tongue made a wet trail across her chest to the other nipple. "These are mine," he whispered against her skin as he moved down her body to kiss her navel. "This is mine. And this..."

Rose sucked a sharp breath in between her teeth when she felt Peter slowly run his hot tongue over her labia. 

"This is mine, Rose." He breathed the words against her clit before sucking it into his mouth. 

"Peter!" 

"I love you, Rose." He slid his middle finger inside her as his tongue circled her clit. "Mmmm... yer so hot... and ready." He raised himself to his knees and grabbed Rose firmly by her thighs, pulling her down to meet his hips in one swift jerk. 

"Oh god, Peter, I love you too," she moaned. 

"Say it again." He took himself in hand and rubbed the head of his cock along her slit, teasingly spreading her juices around. 

"I love you," she panted. 

"Yer mine and I'm yours, Rose." He pushed the tip of his penis into her wet heat. "This is only yours, Rose," he said as he thrust himself inside her. 

Rose cried out and he stilled himself as her inner walls stretched to accommodate his length. He kissed her tenderly before slowly pulling out and pushing back in, deeper each time. After a few exquisite strokes, he stopped again and rested his forehead against hers. 

"I want to stay with ye like this for the rest of my life, Rose. Buried deep inside ye, with yer hair fanned across the pillow like it is. Right here, right now - this very second - it's the highlight of my life so far." He kissed the tip of her nose and resumed a slow rhythm of penetrating thrusts. "I don't deserve ye," he grinned, "but I cannae let go of ye."

Rose tilted her hips up toward Peter's and locked her ankles behind his back, the angle allowing him to slide even deeper inside of her. They moaned in unison from the pleasure of two people who fit together perfectly. 

"Your mine and I'm yours, remember?" Rose ran her fingers through his hair, damp with sweat. "Forever, Peter."

oOo

Rose smiled up at the elaborate home before her as she parked outside her parent's London estate. Even after nearly four years of living in Pete's World, Rose was still amazed that _this_ was the home of Jackie Tyler. Although Rose suffered many losses - one with really great hair, in particular - when she was essentially exiled from her home universe, seeing her mum so incredibly happy always made the situation bearable. Jackie's life in this world was a far cry from that of the single mother on the council estate back home, and for that, Rose was grateful. 

She sent a quick text to Peter, as promised, to let him know she had arrived safely and grabbed her overnight bag. As she was stepping out of the vehicle, her mobile began to vibrate in the back pocket of her jeans. Her mouth spread into a grin so massive that it threatened to break her face when she saw it was Peter calling. 

"Wotcha?" She leaned against the side of the SUV and answered the call. 

"How's yer mum?" The smile was evident in his voice and Rose felt a flutter in her chest as she pictured his face. 

"Haven't even made it outta the car yet. How's Jack?" she teased. 

"Lovely as ever. Speaking of lovely... I miss you."

"Already?" Rose smiled, biting down on her bottom lip, as she remembered their farewell snogfest in the car park just three hours before. 

"Aye, already. Jack's lips just don't taste as good as yers," he laughed. 

"Wanker!" Rose giggled and looked up to see her mum standing just outside the door of the house, waving excitedly at her. "I've gotta ring off. Mum has spotted me." She held up one finger at Jackie and mouthed _just a mo_. 

"I know. I just wanted to tell ye to have a lovely time with yer mum and try to enjoy yerself tonight. Call me in the morning, aye?"

"I will. And, Peter," Rose lowered her voice slightly. "I miss you too."

"Come on, Rose. Et's only been a few hours," he joked. "I'm beginning to think ye fancy me a wee bit."

"You're impossible." Rose shook her head and grinned. "I'll talk to you later, yeah?"

"I'm counting on it, love."

Rose stuffed her mobile back in her pocket and waved at her mum. She could feel her face begin to redden with embarrassment when Jackie asked who had called. 

"It was just Peter from work," she answered, giving her mum a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Where's Tony?"

"In his room." Jackie returned the hug and smiled. "You look lovely, sweetheart. Done somethin' different with your hair?" 

"No," Rose shrugged. 

"Well, somethin's different," Jackie said, eying her. "You're much too thin, though. I've told you two packets of chips a day isn't enough, Rose." She shook her head disapprovingly. "Get yourself inside, then. The kettle's on and Tony is dyin' to see you."

Rose made her way upstairs to deposit her bag in the guest room and see her little brother while Jackie made tea. 

She leaned against the door jamb and looked in on Tony playing with his toys. Rose watched quietly for a minute before clearing her throat in an effort to grab his attention. 

"Roooooooooose!" Tony dropped his plastic cars and barreled into Rose, grabbing her around the knees in a tiny bear hug. 

"Who's my favourite two year old?" 

"Me!" He pointed to himself and grinned. 

"How'd you know?"

"You keep sayin' it at me," he beamed. 

"Quite right," she grinned, picking him up and kissing his chubby cheeks. "You'll be havin' a birthday soon, yeah?" Tony nodded excitedly. "Then you'll be my favourite three year old. Right?"

"Right!" Tony wrapped his arms around her neck and began listing all the things he wanted for his birthday as Rose carried him downstairs for tea. 

"Harry Potter Legos? Those sound brilliant. Can I play with them too?" Rose sat Tony down at the table and kissed the top of his blonde head. 

"Yeah. You can play, Rose. If you get me Legos, I'll let you play."

"Well, that sounds like a fair deal to me. I'll see what I can find between now and then, okay?" Tony nodded. "Now you eat your snack while I have some tea with mum. Deal?"

"Deal," he said while stuffing a tiny sandwich into his mouth. 

"So, Peter..." Jackie handed Rose a cup of tea. "How are things workin' out with 'im?"

"What? What do you mean by that?" Rose made a mental note to murder Mickey Smith for running his gob about her personal affairs. 

"I mean, he's the new agent, yeah? How's he fit in with the team?"

"Oh." Rose breathed a sigh of relief. "He's good. He's not that _new_ , mum. He's been with us a little more than six months now."

"Yeah, but you've never said much about 'im. Honestly, sweetheart, I didn't think you liked 'im much. But you seemed to be having a pleasant enough conversation on the phone, yeah?" Jackie glanced at Rose over her cup of tea. 

"Yeah." Rose fully intended to tell her mum about her relationship with Peter, but just couldn't work up the nerve. "I wasn't sure about 'im at first, but I s'pose he grew on me."

"Well, that's nice." Jackie smiled and changed the subject. "After you've finished your cuppa, there's a few dresses upstairs for you to try on. I s'pose we could shop for a different one if none of them work... but really it would be best if you could like one we already have."

"'M sure any of them will do just fine, mum. You know 'm not picky."

"I know, dear," Jackie smiled. "Then we can go out for lunch - won't hurt you to have at least one proper meal while you're here - and our appointment for hair and makeup is at two forty-five." She looked at Rose's hair. "Some highlights wouldn't hurt, you know. Just brighten it up a bit."

"I don't know." Rose ran her hand through her dark blonde hair. "Maybe."

"Pete tells me Jack Harkness is here. He wouldn't have anything to do with that smile in your eyes, would he?"

"Jack?" Rose was stunned by both the quick change of subject and the idea her mum was suggesting. "No, mum. You know I don't feel _that way_ about Jack."

"Yeah, I know you don't feel that way about Jack... but you feel _that way_ about where he came from." When Rose made no effort to respond, Jackie continued. "I thought you might be more than a little excited to find out travel between universes was possible again. Even if only for a small window of time. Is that it, then? Are you plannin' to go lookin' for himself again?"

"No, mum. 'M not plannin' to go anywhere'"

"You know you could tell me, sweetheart, if you were. You would tell me, wouldn't you? You know how I feel about it and everything. I wish you would just stay here and live your life, Rose. Don't spend it chasin' after someone who never even had the decency to bring you by for proper visits to your mum. If I had five quid," her voice hardening as she grew angrier with every word, "for every day I spent worried about you - where you were, what you were doing - well..."

"Mum," Rose lifted a hand and shook her head. "Just stop-"

"No, Rose. Let me say this. Please." Jackie took another sip of tea. "Despite how I might feel about it, I hope you know I would support your decision as best as I could. If you decide to go back."

Rose leaned closer to her mother and rested we head on Jackie's shoulder. "I know, mum. And I would tell you if I was plannin' to leave. I'm really not."

Jackie pulled Rose in for a hug. "If you change your mind, sweetheart..."

"I won't." Rose continued to embrace her mum and spoke into her hair. "I'm seeing someone."

"You're what?" Jackie jerked back and held Rose at arm's length. "Did you say you're seein' someone? Who?"

"Before I say anything more, you have to promise not to freak out."

"Okay...," Jackie said as her eyebrows rose questioningly. 

"It's Peter."

"Peter? The man you work with? The Scottish one?" 

"Yes, mum, the Scottish one." Rose rolled her eyes. 

"But you don't even like 'im, Rose!" Jackie shook her head. "You are a beautiful young woman, Rose. You can have your pick, you can. There's no need to settle for-"

"Mum," Rose interrupted. "No freaking out. Remember? Besides, I'm not _settling_ for anything. Peter is amazing, mum. You'll see."

"And what's Mickey think about you datin' this _amazing_ man?"

"He thinks it's the best decision I've ever made," Rose replied. 

"He does, does he?"

"Mickey's the one who told me to stop being daft and let myself be happy. With Peter."

Jackie's expression softened. "You _do_ seem happy, Rose."

"I am, mum. I finally am," she smiled. "And you are gonna like Peter - no - you're gonna love 'im. Same as I do."

"You're in love with him?" Rose nodded. "And what about 'im? Has he told you how he feels?"

"He is completely mad about me, mum." Rose grinned as she took the empty cup from Jackie's hand and placed them both in the sink. "'M not going anywhere, mum." She hugged her once more. "I promise."

oOo

"I think the old girl has just about given up," Jack said to Peter as he studied the readings on his hand held detector. He stood, leaning his back against the Weeping Angel's encasement, frowning at the results. "There's absolutely zero activity on this thing now. Even when I'm this close to her."

"Ye think she's dead, then?" 

"Won't know for sure unless we take this down and get closer." He knocked on the wooden wall behind him. "I don't know about you, but I'd rather wait until Rose is back to try that. Not a bad idea to give her a few more days in there before getting too close. You know," Jack waggled his eyebrows and grinned, "just in case she's still a little frisky. Rose will be back from London on Monday. I don't mind sticking around 'til then."

"Mmph. Monday. Quite," Peter huffed, pressing his lips in a straight line. 

"Oh come on, Loverboy!" Jack playfully shoved Peter's shoulder. "You just left her this morning and she'll be here by noon on Monday. Surely you'll survive without her for the two days in between. I'm good company, aren't I?"

"Aye. Yer nae bad company if ye keep yer lips to yerself, mate." Peter raised his left eyebrow and narrowed his eyes as Jack exploded with laughter. 

"What are you saying, Peter?" Jack asked as he rubbed tears from his eyes. He was laughing so hard, it took a moment to catch his breath. 

"You know bloody well what I'm saying, Harkness. Ye pull another stunt like that and find yerself face down on the ground." Peter was half joking now and fought back his own urge to laugh. 

"Oh, if I'm only that lucky!" Jack slapped him a little too hard on the back and walked back to the Torchwood SUV, laughing the entire way. 

They loaded up their equipment and said goodbye to the officers on duty to guard the perimeter. Jack explained to them that even though the Angel was virtually harmless now, she still needed to be guarded until it was safe to remove her in a few days. Although he didn't say so, he couldn't keep the thought of what Rory Williams had suggested out of the back of his mind. Even though Jack was almost certainly convinced the creature had lost all ability to transport people back in time, he wasn't taking any chances of Rory getting his hands on her. 

Jack opened the passenger side door and climbed into the vehicle to find Peter grinning down at his mobile as he typed out a text and pressed send. 

"Ugh, I don't know what's worse," he whined. "Watching the two of you make eyes at each other or watching you gush all over your phone when she calls or texts."

"She's at the salon with her mum," Peter said, pretending not to hear what Jack had said. "She said she's lightening her hair."

"Of course she is. She's with Jackie Tyler at the hair salon. How could she get out of there without adding a bit of bleach?" Jack shook his head, smiling at the thought of Jackie. 

"Well, I'm sure she'll look beautiful." Peter typed another response on his phone. "She's always beautiful."

"I mean it, Peter, you're almost disgusting. If it wasn't Rose you were turning to mush about, I wouldn't be able to handle sharing a car ride with you. Seriously. You're hopeless."

"And I admit it freely," Peter grinned. "I am hopelessly in love with Rose Tyler and I dinna care who knows it."

"Yeah, well, text her some kisses and then focus on the road. I'm ready to get out of here."

Jack watched him send a few more texts. Peter's smile grew wider with every response Rose sent his way. He finally sent his final goodbye, shoved his mobile into his pocket, and turned the key in the ignition. 

"All joking aside, Peter," Jack began, "I'm glad she has you. I've worried about her here. Being alone. Being stuck. It's good to know she has a chance to be happy."

Peter shifted the vehicle into drive but kept his foot on the brake. He turned to look at Jack, sincerity burning in his eyes. "Rose will be happy with me, Jack, I can promise ye that." The corner of his mouth curled up into a half smile. "Because I intend to spend the rest of my life doing whatever it takes to keep her that way."


	17. Chapter 17

"How's my second favourite girl in the whole universe?" Mickey leaned back in his desk chair and grinned as he spoke into his mobile. 

"Second favourite?" Rose asked. 

"Martha lets me kiss her, so she's my favourite."

"Quite right," Rose laughed.

"So how's things in London? How's your mum?"

"I'm sittin' in a salon with tin foil in my hair while mum is on about highlights versus lowlights with the lady doin' her makeup," Rose said flatly. " _You_ tell _me_ how things are in London."

"That good, then?"

"Yeah. Jolly good," Rose said sarcastically. "What time are you gonna be here?"

"Well, that's sorta why I was callin'. There's a bit of a situation here in Cardiff. Don't worry, nothin' we can't handle, but 'm not gonna make it to London, Rose."

"You are kidding me. You wouldn't dare leave me to suffer a Vitex party on my own, Mickey Smith."

"'M sorry, babe. There's just no way. We have some _visitors_ stranded here and we're havin' trouble gettin' their transportation up and running. Remember our friends from Rysrra? You know, the lot that look a bit like the Slitheen only more orange and less...round?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "I remember."

"I really am sorry, Rose. You know I'd be there if I could."

"I know, Micks. It's fine. I just haven't had to go to one of these things in a long time. Not since the dimension cannon and Jake and... I just didn't want to do it alone..."

"I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think. It never is, yeah?"

"I s'pose not. I'm sure mum will stick close to me if you're not there."

"You know she will. She knows you've been out of circulation with the Vitex scene for - what's it now - nine months?"

"At least that," Rose replied. "Oh well, take good care of our little orange friends. I'll give you a call tomorrow for all the details, yeah?"

"Try to have fun, babe. You'll do just fine."

Rose ended the call and looked up to see her mum giving her a concerned look from across the salon. As soon as the final touches were made to her make up, Jackie crossed the room and sat in the chair beside Rose. 

"Everything all right, sweetheart?" Jackie asked.

"Yeah. Just Mickey callin' to say he won't be able to make it tonight."

"Why not?"

"Somethin' came up at work. He won't be able to change and make the drive to London in time for the party."

"'M sorry, Rose. What about Peter? You could bring 'im, you know? I'd like to meet this _Mister Perfect_ myself." 

"No, mum." Jackie began to interrupt but Rose shook her head. "First of all, it would take 'im nearly four hours just to get here. The party begins in," she glanced at the clock, "four and a half. He would never make it in time. I couldn't ask 'im to just drop everything and rush to my side like that."

"Is there a second of all?" Jackie asked. 

"Yeah," Rose shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I don't want you meetin' 'im for the first time at a Vitex party around a lot of people."

"Well, what d'ya mean by that? What's it matter if there's a lot of people? If this man plans on bein' part of your life, Rose, he'll have to deal with the Vitex side as well as the Torchwood side, he will. You might as well let 'im experience it now, while it's still early days. It will do more harm if you find out later that he isn't willing to accept you for all that you are."

"Blimey, mum, that's not even what I meant." Rose rolled her eyes. "It's nothing to do with how Peter will react. I'm worried about what you'll do the first time you see 'im." Jackie looked puzzled but too stunned to respond. "I just... well, he looks a bit - or he might at first - sort of look... _familiar_."

Jackie continued to stare as Rose picked up a magazine and began to absently flip through it. _Familiar_ , she was trying to work out what Rose could possibly mean by that. 

"Familiar... _how_?" Jackie finally asked. 

Rose closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly put the magazine in her lap. She looked at her mother for a long moment trying to decide the best way to tell Jackie she was in love with a man who looked remarkably like the Doctor without seeming pathetic. 

"Okay, 'm gonna tell you this but you have to promise not to read too much into it, yeah?"

"Sod it, Rose, just tell me what's the bleedin' problem!"

"Peter looks kind of a bit - maybe more than a bit - like... the Doctor." Rose held her breath expecting her mum to explode into a series of shrieks.

"The Doctor," Jackie said evenly. "Which one?"

"The last one," Rose blinked. Jackie was remaining much calmer than she had expected. "The pretty one with all the hair."

Jackie nodded approvingly. "How much like 'im?"

"A lot," Rose said. "But only at first. I mean, I don't even think he looks like 'im much at all now. He acts _nothing_ like 'im."

"Well, thank your lucky stars for that," Jackie snapped. "That man could drive me mad in two seconds flat, he could." 

"So... you're not gonna ask me if I'm just datin' 'im because he looks like the Doctor?"

"Well, you're not are you?"

"Definitely not."

"Of course you're not. That'd be daft. My daughter isn't daft," Jackie smiled. 

oOo

Peter and Jack sat together in the Glynneath diner waiting for their food to arrive. Jack was filling Peter in on his night out with the young copper - with far too much detail, Peter thought - when their conversation was interrupted by the ringing of Peter's mobile. 

"Et's Rose," he beamed and put the phone to his ear. "Hello, gorgeous."

"Hiya, handsome."

"I thought ye were at the salon with yer mum."

"I am. I just felt like callin' you for a mo. It's been nearly seven hours since we left my flat and I'm not too proud to say it... I'm missing you terribly now."

"I miss you too, Rose. It's been a horribly long seven hours."

"And I miss you too, Rosie," Jack butted in loudly. "I'm fine. Thanks for asking!"

"Erm, Jack sends his love." Peter gave Jack a piercing glare and shifted his body away from him in an effort to gain a bit of privacy. 

"I heard him," Rose laughed. "Tell 'im he's sorely missed as well."

"Is something wrong, Rose?"

"Not really, no. Just waitin' to finish my hair and then have makeup done. It's half three now and in about four hours I will be havin' champagne and rubbin' shoulders with some of London's finest," she sighed. "'M just not lookin' forward to it."

"I wish I was there with ye."

"I'd much rather be there with you. I'd trade the posh clothes, overpriced jewelry, and high heeled shoes for a night in with you and a packet of chips any day."

"Aye, sounds nice," Peter sighed. "Make sure Mickey brings ye plenty of champagne and is at yer beck and call the whole night."

"He's not coming. I mean, he's stuck in Cardiff. Some orange people needed help with their ship or somethin'. He's gonna try to make it, but he might be late," she lied. 

"I'm sorry, Rose."

"It's fine, I'm sure he'll turn up. I should go. It looks like it's finally my turn in the hot seat."

"Well, I'm sure ye'll look lovely and I hope ye have a nice time. Try to, for me, aye?"

"I will. And Peter..."

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

"Do ye now?" Peter grinned. "That's weird because... I love _you_."

"I know," Rose laughed. "It's a bit mad, yeah?"

"Completely insane," he joked. "Now promise to have fun tonight."

"I promise," she replied. 

Peter rang off and looked at Jack sitting across the table from him. Jack crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. 

"You're going to London aren't you?" Jack grinned. 

"I'll have to stop in Cardiff to change into proper clothes," Peter said. "But if I leave _right now_ , I can get there just in time."

"Go, then." Jack waved his hand at him. "I can walk back to the hotel. It's not far."

"Are ye sure? I don't mind to drop ye-"

"Are you kidding? This meal will be the highlight of what is sure to be a very uneventful evening." Jack winked at a pretty blonde woman sitting alone at a table nearby. "Go, Peter. You're wasting time."

oOo

"You look lovely, sweetheart." Jackie looked over Rose's shoulder and smiled at her in the mirror.

"Thanks, mum. You're sure it's not a bit too short?" She studied her reflection in the full length glass. Rose had opted for a short, black, strapless cocktail dress. It was flirty and fun. _Might as well look fun even if 'm not havin' any_ , she thought.

"Nah, you've got nice legs, dear. Wouldn't hurt to show 'em off sometimes. 'M sure the photographers there tonight will love you for it," Jackie winked. 

"Ugh. Won't they just?" Rose groaned. 

"And I was right about the highlights, I was. Just what you needed, yeah?" 

Rose's shining blonde hair was styled into smooth waves which framed her face and rested on her shoulders. She had to admit, the added golden strands did seem to brighten her whole appearance. 

"Yeah, mum, thanks. I think it looks nice," she grinned. 

Jackie turned Rose away from the mirror to face her and rubbed her hands up and down her daughter's bare arms. 

"Stop shaking, love. You're nervous, I can tell. I know you haven't made any public appearances since... well... a long time. But that's why tonight is the perfect time to get your feet wet. It's nothin' too elaborate, I promise. Just honouring some friend of Pete's who did somethin' grand," she rolled her eyes, "I don't even remember. The point is, there will be fewer cameras than usual, only a handful from the press allowed inside. You'll do a bit of mingling, have a bite to eat, listen to a boring speech, and we don't even have to stay for dancin'. Not if you're not up to it, sweetheart."

"'M sorry 'm being so dramatic. You're right. I'll be fine, mum."

"Of course you will," Jackie said. "You just manage to smile and pose a bit for the cameras out front and once we're inside, everything will be quite boring." Jackie glanced at the clock on the wall to see that is was nearly seven o'clock. "Now where is your father? I swear that man is driving me spare! We should've left already."

"I'm right here, Jacks," Pete Tyler called as he reached the top of the stairs. He entered the room, removing his tie, and kissed Jackie on the cheek. 

"Where have you been? We need to arrive before the party actually starts, you know?"

"Yes, Jackie, I'm aware." He smiled at Rose and pulled her close for a hug. "Hello, Rose. You look beautiful. How's things in Wales?"

"No time for chit chat, Pete Tyler," Jackie interrupted. "Get dressed!"

"I _am_ dressed. Change of tie, throw on a dinner jacket, and I'm ready to leave. Won't take five minutes." 

Rose laughed as Jackie shooed him out of one room and into another. She grabbed the silver sequined clutch her mum had bought for her and filled it with lip gloss, breath mints, a compact mirror, and her mobile. Taking one last glance around the room to be sure she hadn't forgotten anything, Rose made her way downstairs and out the door to find Pete's personal chauffeur already waiting. 

"Hi, James," she smiled. "How've you been?"

"Hello there, Miss Rose," he opened the door to the car and reached out his hand to help her inside. "I'm very fine, and you?"

"I'm very fine, indeed. How's Maureen and the kids?"

"They are as lovely as you look tonight, Miss Rose," he grinned. 

"Thank you, James." He nodded and closed the door for her. 

Rose thought of texting Peter while she waited. She wondered what sort of plans he and Jack might have on this Friday night and pulled her mobile out to ask just as the car door opened again. 

"Shove over, sweetheart." Jackie glanced over her shoulder at Pete. "He's _finally_ ready to go."

The twenty minute drive to the Vitex Center was filled with the sound of Jackie Tyler's voice. Rose smiled and wondered to herself who would win in a competition for World's Longest Running Gob: Mickey Smith or her mother? _Most certainly the latter._

Once they arrived, Pete put an arm around Jackie's shoulders and offered Rose the other one. She took it gladly and held on tight as he maneuvered them through the flashing bulbs of paparazzi and press. Stopping only a few times to smile for the cameras, they soon found themselves inside and Rose was able to breathe a sigh of relief. 

"Everything all right, Rose?" Pete asked. 

"Yeah. 'M fine." She looked around the room for a passing tray of champagne glasses. "I just need a drink."

"Don't we all?" Jackie marched off and quickly returned with a full glass in each hand. She gave one to Rose and took a rather large gulp from the other. "Now we mingle," she winked.

"We won't stray too far if you need us, Rose." Pete nodded in reply to a man on the other side of the room waving his hand to get Pete's attention. He turned to Jackie and offered her his arm. "Are you ready, Mrs. Tyler?"

"As I'll ever be, Mr. Tyler." She took his proffered arm and, with a smile and wink from Pete to Rose, they were off. 

Rose found a nice quiet corner of the room where she could lean against the wall and survey the crowd. She sipped her second glass of champagne, nerves finally calmed, and smiled politely to anyone who made eye contact. After half an hour of successfully mingling without actually having to speak to anyone, Rose noticed a man making his way through the crowd toward her. She took a long drink from her glass, smoothed her dress, and straightened her posture as he approached. 

"Miss Tyler," he asked. 

"Yes. I'm Rose Tyler. And you are?"

"Security," he replied. "I'm sorry to bother you, Miss Tyler, but there's a man at the door who insists he's your... uh... date. Were you expecting someone?"

Rose could have cried tears of joy in that very moment but instead she took another swallow of champagne and smiled.

"Yes. I'm terribly sorry for the trouble. Actually I didn't think he could make it so I didn't mention it but-"

"No worries, Miss Tyler," the man grinned. "Would you care to follow me? If you could just verify with the doorman that the gentleman is with you, then there will be no trouble at all."

Rose trailed behind the security guard as his broad shoulders parted through the crowd of people. She was screaming internally, praising Mickey for coming to her rescue after all, when the man in front of her shifted to give her an unobstructed view of her alleged date. 

It was a clean shaven Peter Carlisle standing just outside the door, with one hand shoved in his pocket and the other fighting against the wind to gain some sort of control over his unruly hair - a battle he was losing. He spotted her and froze as a wide grin spread across his face. A grin that matched the one on Rose's face when she stepped up beside the doorman. 

"Peter Carlisle." Rose shook her head in disbelief. "You turn up in the most unexpected places."

"Why don't ye tell the nice big man to let me in, aye?" Peter winked. 

Rose nodded to the doorman. "Yes, this one is _definitely_ with me," she said, biting down on her bottom lip. She reached out a hand to Peter and wiggled her fingers. 

"You are stunning," he said, taking her hand. "Breathtaking. Completely and utterly-"

"What're you doin' here? How did you even...?"

"I heard ye might need a date, I called Mickey, he told me exactly where to go, and here I am." He swung their clasped hands between them as they walked. "Surprised?"

"Yeah," she laughed. "Very! You shaved..."

"I did." He rubbed a hand over his jaw. "That's why I'm late. Sorry about that."

"Why are you apologizing? You're here, you're _actually_ here." She shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut. "I can't believe it. I think maybe I've had too much to drink already... like it's not really happening." 

"Mickey said I didnae have to wear a tie." Peter looked around the room. "I see a lot of blokes in ties. Is this okay?" 

Rose looked him up and down. She had been so distracted by the lack of stubble that she failed to notice what he was wearing. Black trousers, black shirt unbuttoned at the collar, and a black dinner jacket. 

"A _velvet_ dinner jacket? Where did you get a black velvet dinner jacket?" Rose let go of his hand and began stroking his velvet clad arm. 

"Ye like it?" Peter smoothed a hand down the chest of his jacket. "Et's the only posh thing I own," he preened. 

"Oh, I love it." Rose smiled suggestively as she ran her hand up his arm, over his shoulder, and combed her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. "The clothes are perfect, Peter. You look perfect. Thank you for bein' here."

She dropped her hand from his neck but Peter caught her by the arm and turned to kiss the inside of her wrist. 

"Yer welcome." He bent down and kissed the tip of her nose as he slipped his arms around her waist. Rose's body automatically leaned in to his and she placed a kiss on the faint cleft in the middle of his chin. 

"I've never kissed you right after you've shaved," she said against his skin. "Your face is so smooth..."

"Ahem."

Rose jumped at the sight of Jackie Tyler standing, arms crossed and toe tapping, just a few feet away. 

"Mum! Sorry, I didn't see y-"

"And how could you? With your face rubbin' up against his like that? Really, Rose, the paps would have a field day if they could get just one picture of you pressed against some bloke like you are."

"He's not just some bloke, mum."

"Well, I know that! You think I don't know my own daughter? But they don't know who he is. He's just some pretty faced bloke in a tight velvet jacket as far as - wait - is that really velvet?" Jackie stepped closer and reached out to feel the cuff of Peter's jacket. "Blimey, that's nice." 

"Thank you, Mrs. Tyler."

"Oh, stop it, call me Jackie." She waved a dismissive hand at him. "And you must be the _amazing_ Peter Carlisle my Rose has been on about. Well, I'll just come out and say it, you _do_ look like-"

"Mum!" Rose shook her head. "Please."

"No, et's fine, Rose." Peter nodded at Jackie. "Aye, Mrs. Tyler, et's been brought to my attention that I look a wee bit like someone ye used to know," he smiled, tugging at his ear. 

"More than a wee bit, I'd say." She looked him over appraisingly. "Well, you've already shown better manners than that man ever could manage," she huffed. "It's time to go in to dinner. You're coming?"

"Aye, Mrs. Tyler. If ye don't mind."

"Let's go then. And I _told_ you to call me Jackie." She spun around and began to lead the way. 

"Aye, ye did. Sorry, Jackie."

Rose slipped her hand into Peter's and entwined their fingers. He squeezed her hand and smiled down at her as they followed Jackie into the dining room. 

oOo

Rose spent the next two hours with a permanent grin on her face. Peter was wonderful. He talked about a wide range of topics with Pete - from Torchwood to football - over dinner. He seemed to be charming the socks off of Jackie who had insisted he spend the night at their home instead of wasting money on a hotel room. And now he was in search of drinks for Rose and her mum while Pete was saying farewell to the guest of honour. 

"I like 'im, Rose." Jackie nudged shoulders with Rose. "He seems crazy about you. And he's so polite. There's somethin' to be said for a man with good manners if you ask me."

"'M so glad you like 'im, mum. I knew you would but... well, 'm glad you didn't get hung up on how he looks."

"Well, he's quite handsome, Rose."

"You know what I mean, mum."

"He doesn't act like 'im... doesn't sound like 'im. His hair is different..." Jackie turned to look at Rose and brushed a piece of hair back off of her daughter's shoulder. "If you're happy, sweetheart, that's all that matters to me. As long as he shows you the love and respect you deserve, I don't care what he looks like, Rose."

"I heard a rumour near the bar." Peter returned with drinks in hand and a smile on his face. "There's dancing in the next room," he said in a stage whisper. 

"Not for me, I'm afraid," Jackie said. "I can still make it home in time to put Tony to bed." She looked around the room until she spotted Pete. "That's if I can drag Pete outta here before someone else corners 'im for a chat. But you two should stay. We can send James back with the car."

"We don't have to stay, Peter. You've worked all day and had a long drive here. We can go-"

"And miss a chance to show ye my moves? Not a chance, Rose Tyler."

"Your moves? Somethin' tells me I'll live to regret this..."

"It looks like this might be my chance." Jackie waved across the room at Pete and pointed to her wrist at the watch she wasn't wearing. "You kids have fun," she kissed Rose on the cheek, "and try to be quiet when you come home later," she kissed Peter on the cheek as well, "so you don't wake Tony, yeah?"

"Okay, mum. Love you."

"Goodnight, Jackie. I've had a lovely time and thanks again for letting me stay over."

"Nonsense. You're practically family," she winked. "Have fun." 

Rose turned to Peter as Jackie walked away and raised a questioning eyebrow. "You have moves?"

"I may have exaggerated." He slipped an arm around her waist and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "That was just my way of getting ye to myself for a while." He kissed her neck just below her earlobe. "I wouldnae pass up the chance to hold yer body, in that dress, against mine."

"You can do that later anyway..."

"Rose! I cannae shag ye in yer parents' house when they're in the next room," he said with a scandalized look on his face. "Welllll, at least not when they've just met me," he grinned. 

"My mum _loves_ you," Rose said as they made their way to the dance hall. 

"That's too bad," Peter frowned. "I'm in love with someone else... I'll break it to her gently."

Peter placed his hand on the small of her back and led Rose to the far corner of the dimly lit dance floor. He took her face in his hands and bent down to kiss her softly. Then he pressed his mouth to hers again but with more force, sliding his tongue past her lips to deepen the kiss. 

"I've been wanting to do that ever since we left yer flat this morning." He rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip and looked into her eyes. "I love you, Rose."

"I love you too, Peter," she replied and slipped her arms around his neck. 

Rose rested her cheek on his chest as Peter moved his hands to her lower back and pulled her body close to his. They held each other in the dark, swaying to the music, through several slow songs. 

"Thank you for comin'. I couldn't have made it through this night without you," Rose said against his chest. 

"Aye, ye could've made it just fine without me, Rose." Peter rubbed his hands in circles along the bare skin above the back of her dress. "Yer brilliant and amazing and fully capable of taking care of yerself. You didnae need me here tonight, love."

"Maybe not." Rose looked up at him and traced his smooth jawline with her finger before placing a chaste kiss on his lips. "But I _wanted_ you."

Peter brushed a piece of hair away from her face and rested his forehead against hers. 

"Yer hair is lovely, by the way."

"You like it?"

"I love it." He kissed her cheek and whispered, "I think I'm ready to get ye out of that dress now."

"What about my parents?" Rose giggled as he playfully nipped at her neck. "You said you couldn't shag in their house."

"Mmmhmm." He traced the shape of her ear with his tongue and gently bit down on her earlobe. "We'll just have to be _very_ quiet," he growled.


	18. Chapter 18

Rose woke to the sound of Tony's high pitched pleading from downstairs. 

"Please, please, pleeeeeeeeeeease, mummy. PLEEEEEEASE," he whined. 

Rose tried tuning out her little brother and drifting back to sleep but it was impossible. She yawned and rubbed her eyes with the backs of her hands. 

"His wee voice carries." Peter's gravelly voice was thick with sleep as he tightened his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Spooning up behind her, he placed a kiss on the back of her shoulder and rested his chin against her skin as they listened. 

"Absolutely not, young man. You can't have cupcakes for breakfast! I said _pan_ cakes!" Jackie's words echoed through the house. 

"Ugh. So does hers," Rose groaned. 

"Did ye sleep well?" Peter's question was muffled as he buried his face in her hair. 

"Yes I did." Rose traced lazy patterns on his arm with her fingers. "Did you?"

"Like a wee bairn," he grinned. "I had a lovely time last night." He nudged the hair away from the back of her neck with his nose and began placing a series of kisses there. 

"Mmmm... me too," she purred. 

Peter held one of his hands out in front of her face and propped his head up with the other. 

"I have the tiniest wee teeth marks on the palm of my hand. Ye see?" He moved his open palm closer to her face. "Just there?"

"No," Rose said, taking his hand in hers. "But I'll kiss it better anyway." She kissed the palm of his hand. 

"Thank you," he pouted. 

"I guess _someone_ will think twice about puttin' his hand over my mouth next time," she teased. 

"I had no choice! _Someone_ was about to scream out and wake everyone in the house."

"Because _you_ were doing that thing with your hips that's probably illegal." Rose giggled and kissed his hand again. "But 'm sorry if I hurt you. I didn't mean to bite."

"I didnae say it hurt." Peter turned her in his arms to face him. "I said ye left a mark." He gently bit Rose's chin and smiled. "I suppose I should return the favour." 

She giggled again as Peter nipped at her neck, making his way toward her clavicle. He nibbled along her collarbone and - without warning - sank his teeth into her shoulder. 

"Oi!" Rose grabbed handfuls of his hair and tilted Peter's head away from her skin. "You're really gonna leave a mark," she yelped. 

"I'm sorry, love," Peter smirked. "Did I hurt ye? Let's make it better..." 

He tried to resume his efforts with her shoulder but Rose had a firm grip on his hair. 

"No way," she said and tried to wiggle away. 

They laughed and wrestled playfully in the bed for several minutes before there was a knock at the door. 

"Rose, sweetheart, are you awake?" Jackie asked. 

Peter took advantage of the distraction and finally rolled on top of Rose, pinning both of her arms to the bed. Pleased with his victory, he flashed an evil grin before pressing his hips into hers.

"Yeah, mum." Rose gave Peter a warning glare. "We're awake."

Peter's hips began to grind against her and he dipped down to lave the red spot on her shoulder with his tongue. 

"Pancakes for breakfast if you want," her mum said. "Make yourselves decent and hurry down."

"Okay, thanks." Rose tried to break free from Peter's grasp with no luck. 

"Morning, Peter," Jackie called through the door. 

"Good morning, Jackie." 

"Did you sleep well?" she asked. 

"Aye, Jackie." Peter released his hold on Rose's arms and collapsed on the bed beside her. "Very well, thank you," he answered and winked at Rose. 

"That's nice, dear." Jackie's footsteps disappeared down the stairs. 

Peter smiled over at Rose. "Looks like I got ye good," he said, kissing the bite he left on her shoulder. 

"Yeah, it hurt. I hope you're proud of yourself," she scolded as she tried not to smile. 

"I'm sorry." He gingerly rubbed over the faint teeth marks and kissed them once more. "I was only playing, love."

He held Rose's face between his hands and kissed her softly on the lips. "Forgive me?"

"I s'pose." She gave him a deeper, longer kiss in reply. "But I get the shower first," she grinned as she hopped out of bed and ran to the en suite.

"Sure," he called after her, "but I get to watch."

"Not a chance, mate," she replied and locked the door behind her. 

Peter dragged a hand through his hair and yawned as he rolled out of bed. He rummaged through his pile of clothes in the floor to find his mobile and called Jack. 

"Well if it isn't my favourite Scottish stud," Jack laughed as he answered the call. "How was your night in London, Romeo?"

"It was such a fine night that I'll pretend yer nae being an annoying twat this morning," Peter replied. "Anything new in Glynneath?"

"If you're talking about the angel, then the answer is no. But if you're asking about the lovely girl I met after you abandoned me at the diner yesterday..."

"Don't even start," Peter laughed. "I'm sure I dinna want to know."

"I'm at McCrimmon Lane now, actually. I was just about to peek in on the angel when you called." Jack looked through the plexiglass window at what remained of the Weeping Angel. There were bits of the statue scattered on the ground along with shards of reflective glass. "Well, I guess I'll be packing my bags and heading home," he sighed. 

"She's dead? How do ye know for sure?"

"She's literally in pieces, Peter. Looks like she snapped just above the waist. Her top half must have fallen forward because the mirror is shattered. She left a lovely mess. I'll need to take this box apart and clean her up..."

"Leave it," Peter said. "I'll be there as soon as I can. Go to the police station and sort matters with DI Blythe. Let him know we will have the area cleared and be out of Glynneath by morning."

"Yes, sir. Anything else, boss?" 

"Sorry, I just don't wanna deal with wee Blythe if I can help it. We're nae the best of mates... if you'll please just handle him before-"

"I'm kidding, Peter," Jack interrupted. "Don't worry about Inspector Blythe. I'll have all of these coppers gone by lunch time. I'll see you later."

Peter tossed his mobile back on the floor on top of last night's clothes. He scrubbed both hands over his face and sighed at the thought of driving back to Wales, suddenly realizing he had left the Torchwood SUV at the Vitex Center when he and Rose were driven back to the Tyler home in Pete's personal car. 

_That's just bloody fantastic_ , he thought. 

He crossed the room and knocked on the door of the en suite. "Rose, are ye nearly finished?" Peter jiggled the door handle to find it was indeed locked. "Rose, I need in."

"'M rinsing my hair. Just a mo," she called back. "Besides, you gotta wait your turn, mister."

"I cannae stay for breakfast. I need to get the car and drive back to Wales."

He heard the spray of water shut off and the shower door open as Rose stepped out. 

"Can ye open up, love? I need to hurry."

Rose opened the door, wrapped in a towel, combing her fingers through her wet hair. Peter moved her aside, placing a kiss on the tip of her nose as he stepped past her, and turned the shower back on. 

"Peter, what's goin' on? I thought you were gonna spend the day here with me."

"I just spoke to Jack," he said as he stepped under the hot water. "The Weeping Angel is dead. He needs help cleaning up the area and sorting everything there. I told him I'd be there around noon."

"Well, I'm comin' with you. We can take my car and make arrangements to have the other one taken to Cardiff for us."

"No ye don't have to do that. You have plans with yer family today. Stay here. Jack and I can handle it."

"Of course you can but that's not the point, is it?" Rose opened the shower door as Peter was rinsing the shampoo from his hair. She waited for him to wipe the water out of his eyes and look at her. "The _point_ is 'm still the lead agent on this case. I gotta be there to oversee things."

"Ye think we need overseeing?" 

"No but it's my job, Peter. I gotta talk to Blythe and-"

"Jack's doing that now. I told him to take care of Blythe first."

"Did you, then?" Rose arched her eyebrow. "Why? I can do that when I get there."

"Aye, but I was trying to take care of this for you." Peter turned the water off as Rose handed him a towel. He scrubbed it over his face and hair then rubbed his chest dry. "I thought ye'd be glad ye didnae have to run off to work and miss the lovely day ye had planned here, Rose."

"I get that, and I appreciate the thought," she moved to the side as Peter wrapped the towel around his waist and stepped out of the shower. "but-"

"I wasnae trying to do yer job," Peter snapped. He pressed his lips in a straight line, accentuating the dimple in his right cheek. "I was trying to help. I told Jack to deal with wee Blythe because I won't be there for another four hours. And I didnae want to deal with that bloody git again anyway."

Rose smoothed his dimple away with her thumb and his cheek in her hand. He took a deep breath and pressed his tongue to the back of his teeth, realizing there was no need to be so defensive. 

"Hey," Rose kissed the corner of his mouth. "Calm down, yeah?" 

Peter closed his eyes and nodded. 

"'M not angry, Peter. I just... I'm goin' with you, okay?"

"Aye. I'm sorry."

"Shut up," she grinned and kissed him briefly. "Don't apologize, just get finished up in here, yeah? I'll get dressed and go tell mum we're not stayin' for breakfast."

Rose started toward the door but Peter grabbed her by the waist and stopped her. 

"Come here," he said and pulled her towel loose. Rose tried to hold it against her chest but he yanked it free and dropped it on the floor. 

"What're you doing? We've gotta hurry, remember?"

"Aye," he removed the towel from around his waist, "but it'd be a shame to be this close and this naked and nae take advantage of it."

Peter pushed the door closed and backed Rose up against it. His mouth latched on to her neck and began a wet trail of open mouthed kisses down her chest and torso as he dropped to his knees in front of her. He slid his hands up her inner thighs and tilted his head up to look at her. 

"Just for a minute, aye?" He lifted one of her legs up over his shoulder, gaining better access to her sex. 

"Yeah," she breathed. 

Rose leaned her head back against the door, biting back a moan, as Peter ran his tongue over the hot flesh at the apex of her thighs. His tongue dipped inside of her and his thumb rubbed circles around her clit. She dug her fingers into his hair and scratched her nails over his scalp as she bucked her hips against his face in encouragement. Peter slipped a long slender finger inside, and another, as he sucked hard on her clit. 

All of her weight was being held up with one shaky leg and Peter caught her with his other hand as her knee buckled. 

"Lie down," Peter whispered as he began smoothing their towels out on the tile floor. 

"I thought we were just-"

He stopped her words with a bruising kiss and helped her down onto the bed of towels. His tongue tasted of her as he slid it past her lips to explore every corner of her mouth. 

"I've got to have ye, Rose." Peter lifted both of her legs up over his shoulders and sheathed himself inside her with one hard thrust, banging the top of her head against the door. "Oh god, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Rose, are ye okay?"

"'M fine," she giggled. "Take it easy, yeah?"

Peter rubbed the top of her head. "I'm sorry," he laughed. "Ye sure yer all right?" Rose nodded and he placed both hands on top of her head to keep her from hitting it on the door. 

He continued with a few hard pushes deep inside her before stopping to look down at her. "This won't take long," he said, catching his breath. "Are ye ready?"

"Very," she replied. 

"Hey." He removed one hand from her head and traced it along the outline of her jaw. "I love you," he smiled. 

"I love you too, Peter." She turned her head to kiss his hand. "Very much."

"Try not to scream, aye? I'm nae giving ye my hand to bite again," he winked then began a pounding rhythm of hard, fast thrusts. 

Rose covered her mouth with her own hands - both of them - fighting the urge to scream, as her inner walls began to tighten and pulse. 

Just as her body went limp, exhausted from her orgasm, Peter quickly pulled out of her. He grabbed up the towel and spilled himself with a few strokes of the hand before collapsing on top of Rose. She could feel his heart pounding against her upper thigh as he rested his head on her chest and placed a kiss on the swell of her left breast. 

"You didn't hafta do that," she said as she ran her fingers through his hair. 

"I know." Peter leaned up to kiss her neck. "But ye just showered so I thought I'd do the gentlemanly thing," he smirked. 

"You just showered too."

"Aye," he said, breathless. "I'll take another one. Now kiss me."

Rose grabbed him by the hair and pulled his head closer to capture his lips with hers. 

"Mmmm. I love ye so much it's bloody killing me," he said against her mouth and kissed her one last time. "Now get dressed and go have a quick breakfast with yer parents, aye? I'm going to shower and tidy up in here."

"Deal," Rose said as Peter took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. 

"Be gone with ye," he grinned and slapped her bare bum. "We're in a hurry, Miss Tyler."

oOo

Jack Harkness sat in a booth by the window of the Glynneath diner. He counted the passing cars as he waited for Peter and Rose to meet him for a late lunch. After Jack dismissed Rose's offer to arrive much earlier via the Torchwood helicopter, they had settled on meeting at the diner at half one to discuss a plan of action. He had already sorted matters with the local authorities, as promised, and DI Blythe had removed the barricade from McCrimmon Lane along with most of the officers posted there for security. Jack had left the angel in the care of one young police officer who agreed to keep an eye on things as a personal favour until Harkness could return with the other Torchwood agents. 

The black SUV pulled into a parking space at the edge of the lot. From where he sat, Jack had a clear view of Peter shifting the vehicle into park and removing his safety belt. He saw Rose grab Peter by the back of the collar, just as he was about to step out of the car, and pull him back inside for a quick kiss. Jack watched as they walked hand in hand, Rose's shoulder pressed against Peter's arm, smiling and chatting with each other. They looked happy, he thought, like two people who completely adore one another. _It suits her_ , Jack smiled to himself. 

"Over here." Jack waved his hand at Rose as she looked around the diner, searching for him. 

Rose slid into the booth seat across from Jack and Peter scooted in beside her. 

"How was your drive?" Jack asked. 

"Long," Peter replied flatly. "Have ye ordered yet?"

"Not yet. How was London, Rosie? Have a nice time last night?"

"Yeah, I did," she smiled. "Thanks for lendin' me this guy for the night." She nudged Peter with her shoulder. 

"Oh, it was hard to let him go. Believe me," Jack winked. 

"Don't start!" Rose and Peter spoke in unison and Jack erupted with laughter. 

"Okay, okay. Sorry." He held his hands up in mock surrender. "How about we get down to business? I had a lovely morning with Detective Inspector Blythe. You never mentioned that he was so cute, Peter."

"Cute?" Peter scoffed and rolled his eyes. "A pretty wee pain in the arse is what he-"

Rose, never turning her eyes away from Jack, stopped Peter's rant by reaching her hand out and putting one finger over his lips. Before she could pull her hand away, Peter grabbed her by the wrist and kissed the finger that was pressed against his mouth. A slow smile tugged at her lips as he took her hand and placed a kiss on the back of it. 

"Go on, then," she said to Jack. 

"Oh, no. _You_ go on," he grinned. "I'll just sit back and enjoy the show." 

"Sorry," Peter said as he pressed his lips to the back of her hand again. "I'm stopping." He kissed it once more and smiled at Rose. "I'm done."

"Don't you kids let me stop you. I've got all the time in the world." Jack tapped the vortex manipulator wrapped around his wrist and waggled his eyebrows. 

"Well, she's just so bloody gorgeous. I cannae help myself."

"Oh, I completely understand," Jack said while nodding his head. "Just look at that face."

Rose rolled her eyes. 

"And her adorable wee nose," Peter said teasingly. "I just want to kiss it every time I look at it."

Rose dodged his lips as Peter attempted to do just that. 

"Right, you lot," she said, pointing a finger at each of them, "have been spending far too much time together, yeah? I don't even know who's the bad influence any more."

"He is." Peter pointed at Jack. 

"Guilty as charged," Jack laughed. "Anyway, like I was saying, all that's left to do is clean up the mess. I left everything as is," he said to Rose, "so you could take pictures for the Torchwood file."

"Good. Thanks."

"And then we just need take apart out makeshift cage and bury her."

"Bury her?" Peter asked. 

"She wasn't really a statue, Peter. She was a living creature. I figured we could at least give her a proper burial," Jack sighed. 

"Aye. Quite right. I wasnae thinking..."

"Yeah, I didn't think about it either," Rose said. "You're right, though. We can't just chuck her in a bin and call it a day... So that's it, then? After she's buried, you're leavin'?"

"I might stick around for a day or so," he grinned. "I've only been here a week. That's just a matter of hours back home."

"Yeah. I keep forgettin' the time difference."

"It's gonna be one hell of a case of jet lag," Jack winked. "But I do have to get back, Rose. There's a tear in the fabric of time and I have to..." His expression grew serious as he reached across the table and covered her hand with his. " I have to find him. He's the only one who can close it."

oOo

Rose and Peter loaded up the pieces of the Weeping Angel's former encasement for removal while Jack began digging a grave. 

Peter had noticed Rose's mood growing more somber ever since Jack had mentioned finding the Doctor earlier in the day. In the hours they had spent at McCrimmon Lane since leaving the diner, Rose had become more withdrawn with ever reference Jack made to "back home". 

"Are ye okay, Rose?" Peter took her hand in his as they walked to join Jack in the far corner of the back garden. 

"'M fine," she answered, not looking at him. 

"Hey, look at me." Peter stopped in his tracks and tugged on her hand prompting Rose to lift her eyes to meet his. "Are you okay, love?"

"Yeah," she said with a sad smile. "'M just a bit sad. 'M gonna miss 'im." She tilted her head toward Jack. 

"Are ye sure that's it?" Peter could feel his heart breaking at the thought of her saying no. What if missing Jack _wasn't_ all of the matter? What if Rose was finally realizing a life with him wouldn't be enough? What if she would decide to leave after all?

"That's it," she replied and kissed him on his jaw where a faint stubble was beginning to grow. "I promise."

Jack was making good progress with his shovel. Rings of sweat had formed on his shirt resulting from both his exhausting efforts and the unseasonably warm weather. 

Peter removed his own shirt and offered Jack some relief, reaching for the shovel. 

"Take a break before ye have a stroke," Peter joked.

"Skinny boy like you?" Jack looked him up and down. "I'm afraid you'll hurt yourself," he teased. 

"Dinna worry about me," Peter grinned, taking the shovel. "I'll do just fine."

Jack rubbed the sweat from his brow and sat down on the grass next to Rose. He glanced over at the remains of the Weeping Angel which Rose had wrapped in a large scrap of burlap she had scavenged from inside the abandoned house. 

"You know," Jack began, "she was a real bitch back home but I couldn't help feeling sorry for her here. Dying so far away from everything that was familiar." He stared off at nothing in particular. "The trip between worlds killed her. She wasn't supposed to be here."

"'M not supposed to be here, Jack." Rose spoke so quietly her words were barely audible. 

"Oh, I don't know." His trademark grin returned to his face as he looked over at Peter. "I think this universe seems to agree with you."

Rose followed his gaze to see Peter shoveling dirt over his shoulder. She watched the muscles of his arms and chest flex as he continued to dig. 

"Yeah," she said. "I think so too."

"He doesn't look like the Doctor any more, Rose."

"I know. I keep tellin' everybody he doesn't look much like him. Only at first."

"No, I mean, the Doctor doesn't look like _that_." He nodded his head in Peter's direction. "Not any more."

"What d'ya mean? You're saying he's regenerated, then?" She nearly choked on the word. 

"The last time I saw him - well I didn't _know_ it was him and he didn't even see me but - he looked different. He was younger. A bit goofier - if that's even possible," Jack smiled. "He still had the brown hair but it was different too. I don't know... floppier or something."

"How do you know it was 'im, then?"

"How do you think? He ended up hopping into the TARDIS and disappearing before my eyes."

"Oh. Right. When?"

"Not long after I traveled with him and Martha. She wasn't with him either. He was with a young ginger girl. She had long legs and a short skirt... I would've liked to have met her," he said with a suggestive grin. 

"Who's Martha?" Rose asked. 

"You know Mickey's Martha over here?" Jack raised his eyebrows. 

"No way," Rose replied. 

Jack went on to tell her how he had traveled with the Doctor and Martha for a while. He told her about the Master and the year that never was. He said how brilliant Martha was in his universe and how she had walked the earth telling everyone the story of the Doctor. 

"She was amazing," he said. "I do wonder where she is now and what happened to cause him to regenerate."

"Well, sounds like he's moved on, then. New face, new ginger girl." Rose didn't try to hide the resentment in her tone. "Good on him."

"Stop it, Rosie. You know that's not my point."

"What _is_ your point, Jack?"

"He hasn't replaced you. Martha wasn't your replacement and this new girl isn't either. He's better when he has an assistant of sorts. Someone to teach. Someone to stop him from doing something he might regret. You know that as well as I do, Rose." 

"Yeah. I know. You're right, I just..."

"But the point of telling you about 'the new face and the new girl', as you put it, is to let you know he's changed. He's not the same man you knew. Well, he _is_ the same man, but he's-"

"Different," Rose finished for him. "Yeah. I get that. But why are you tellin'-"

"Because I need you to know that before I give you this." Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a second vortex manipulator. "I want you to take this. You should have at least a few days - maybe more - to think about it after I'm gone. If you want to come back home, Rose, you'll have a way to get there."

"No, Jack. Thank you, but no. 'M not gonna change my mind. If he wanted to see me, he'd be here by now. Besides, I can't just leave Peter behind like that."

"That's not fair, Rose. The Doctor doesn't even know that travel between universes is possible right now. It's only been a few days-"

"Come on, Jack!" Rose sounded more than a little annoyed. "He is _very clever_ , that one. Always tellin' us how clever he was at every chance he got. He's figured it out by now. And he's not here, is he?"

Rose shook her head and laughed to save herself from crying. 

"'M not angry at him, Jack," she said softly. "'M really not - it's just - it's not easy to talk about, yeah? But I'm here and he's there. He's moved on and now I've gotta move on too."

"It's not that he's forgotten you, Rose." Jack put his arm around her shoulders. "But he's living his life without you... because he wanted you to live happily ever after."

"Yeah it's been a right fairy tale, it has," Rose snickered. 

"Looks to me like you've maybe found your Prince Charming," Jack shrugged. "Tell me honestly, Rose. Are you happy here?"

Rose turned her eyes to see Peter climbing out of the freshly dug hole. His bare back and arms were covered in dirt as he picked up his shirt and wiped the sweat from his face. His glanced up to see Rose gazing at him and winked, wiggling his fingers at her in a tiny wave of hello. 

Rose smiled back at him and turned to Jack. "Yeah," she said. "'M happier now than I ever imagined possible."

"Good. That's all I needed to know." 

Jack moved to put the extra vortex manipulator back in his pocket but Rose stopped him as a wide grin crept across her face. 

"If 'm not gonna use that... I know someone who will."


	19. Chapter 19

"Will it hurt?" Rory willed his voice to remain steady as he spoke. 

"I won't lie to you, pal. Some people say it's a rubbish way to travel," Jack shrugged. 

If Rory Williams was being honest, he would have to admit he was more than a little apprehensive. He had experienced a myriad of emotions since the night the Weeping Angel had disrupted his life by chucking Amy back in time and eternally separating him from the love of his life.   

Rory had pored over every possible scenario that could end his agony; some darker than others. The gaping hole in his heart had been too much for him to bear. Which is why, when Rose Tyler phoned him to say she had a plan to reunite him with the love of his life, he had agreed without question. 

Now... he had questions. 

"It's okay if it does. If it hurts, I mean." Rory raised his arm allowing Jack to wrap the vortex manipulator around his wrist. "I'd just like a bit of a warning. That's all. I'd like to know what to expect," he finished nervously. 

"Well, you can expect to feel like you've just had a swift kick to the head. Sometimes a bit of nausea... almost always disorientation." Jack noticed the color draining from Rory's face as he listed the probable side effects. "Don't worry too much. It subsides in under a minute. I promise. Just sit tight, take a few deep breaths, and wait for your head to stop spinning before you try to walk. Got it?"

"Right. Yeah. Got it," Rory nodded. "I think."

"You'll be fine." Jack clapped Rory on the shoulder. "Try not to overthink it."

"Rory." Rose stepped around Jack and placed both hands on Rory's shoulders. "It's not too late to change your mind, yeah?" 

"No. I can do this. I want to do this." Rory squared his shoulders and raised himself to his full height, summoning all of his courage. "I _must_ do this, Rose."

"Okay. As long as you're sure."

"I am," he nodded. "I am very sure."

"Right, then," she grinned. "Let's get you to the past."

Rose hugged him one last time and wished him luck.  Rory then shook both Jack's and Peter's hands, thanking them for everything.  After a few more last minute instructions from Jack, with the proper coordinates entered, Rory gave them a final nod and pressed the button on the vortex manipulator. 

The three Torchwood agents shared a sigh of relief when Rory Williams blinked from existence in a flash of blue light. They stood and stared, unmoving, as the seconds dragged along like hours. 

"I guess it worked, then?" Rose was the first to recover. She blindly reached for Peter's hand as he stood silently beside her. 

Seeing Rory dematerialize before her eyes had ignited emotions in Rose that she had never expected to surface. They began to overwhelm her and she found it difficult to breathe; as if a weight was pressing down on her chest. 

One reassuring squeeze of her hand from Peter and - surprisingly - she began to calm down. 

"Are ye okay, love?" he whispered as he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. 

Rose looked up to see Peter gazing intently at her. His brow furrowed as worry and fear shown in his eyes. 

"Yeah," she said, choking back tears. "'M fine."

Peter pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. She pressed her face against his chest as he stroked her hair and placed a kiss on the top of her head. 

"Et's okay, Rose," he reassured her as he rested his chin atop of her head. "I'm sure he made it through just fine, aye?"

"Well, there's one way to find out," Jack chimed.  He tilted his head up to the sky full of dark, rolling clouds. "We should head over there before the rain starts.  I'll drive."

Peter pulled back enough to look Rose in the eyes. Seeing her unshed tears, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. 

"Yer all right, then?" he asked. 

"Yeah." Rose stood on tiptoes and kissed him softly on the lips. "Thank you."

As they walked together to join Jack in the black SUV, Peter wrapped his arm around Rose's shoulders and pulled her close to his side. The sooner they could confirm Rory had safely travelled back in time and found Amy, the better. 

Rose only half listened to the conversation Jack and Peter were having in the front of the vehicle as she sat alone in the back seat. She glanced up to see Peter watching her with a soft expression in the rear view mirror - those adorable crinkles forming around his eyes as he smiled - and she winked at him in reply before resting her head against the window. 

She was worried about Rory - of course she was - but that wasn't the only thing weighing on her mind. As soon as they found out for certain what had happened when Rory pressed the button on his vortex manipulator, this case would be closed. They would all leave Glynneath and return to Cardiff. 

 _And Jack will go home,_ she thought to herself and fought back tears that threatened to fall once again. Suddenly, the  situation was all becoming too _real_ for her. Jack Harkness had actually found his way back into her life - albeit accidentally - and she wasn't ready to see him go. 

Soon they would be saying goodbye for quite likely the last time. Jack would disappear just as he had appeared, he would find the Doctor, they would figure out what kind of disturbance was making travel between universes possible - and fix it - and that would be the end. She hated endings. _Endings are rubbish._

"Everything all right, Rosie?" Jack interrupted her thoughts. "You're awfully quiet back there."

"Yeah. Was just thinkin'... we need to give you a proper send off, yeah? When we get back to Cardiff, I mean.  The whole team. And Mickey can bring along Martha... dinner and then drinks at the pub tonight. Can we, I mean, can y-you stay for that?" she asked. 

"Hell yeah, I can stay for that!" he beamed. "That's a brilliant idea."

Jack shifted the SUV into park as they reached their destination. Their attempt at beating the inevitable rain had failed and a light mist had begun to fall. 

Peter quickly sidled up close to Rose and opened one side of his jacket to shield her from the rain as they walked through the already soggy grass. Despite his best efforts, the breeze was blowing the cool drizzle at an angle just right for hitting her directly in the face. It was the cold shower she needed - to interrupt her thoughts and keep her focused on the task at hand. 

"It's just there," Rose said as she pointed to a cluster of stones at the top of a small hill. 

"Okay. Cross your fingers, say a prayer, or whatever else you might do," Jack said, increasing the pace of his steps. 

There is was - the proof they had been hoping to find. Standing before them in the cemetery was a headstone for what had once been the grave of Amelia Pond. The cool marble stone they were faced with was different now. The old one had been replaced with a marriage stone with not only Amy's name, but also the name of one Rory Arthur Williams. Etched below the dates of their respective births and deaths was what could only be interpreted as a message for the three Torchwood agents now reading it: _...and we lived happily ever after._

Rose giggled as tears of happiness and relief filled her eyes. 

"I told ye he'd be fine, aye?" Peter kissed the side of her head. 

"Good!" Jack clapped his hands together. "Our work here is officially done. Back to Cardiff?" he asked. 

"Yeah," Rose smiled. "Back to Cardiff."

oOo

Jack sucked a large breath into his lungs and exhaled with a satisfied grin as he walked with Rose and Peter toward their flats. 

"Ah, Cardiff," he said. "Home sweet _almost_ home."

They had arrived at the Cardiff hub around half eleven. After having lunch with the entire Torchwood team and sorting the necessary paperwork to close the case on the Weeping Angel, everyone had agreed to meet for dinner and drinks at the pub at six o'clock. 

"I think 'M gonna need a quick kip before dinner," Rose yawned. "'S been a crazy couple of days, yeah?"

"Aye, et has." Peter raised their clasped hands to his mouth and kissed the back of hers. "Ye want some company?" he asked with an arched brow. 

"Always," she said with her tongue touched grin. 

"Three's company, I always say," Jack teased. 

"No, three is most definitely a crowd," Peter replied sternly. 

"Oh well, can't blame me for trying."

"Here ye go," Peter took the key to his flat from his pocket and tossed it to Jack. "Ye have full reign of my flat for the next few hours. Dinna say I never gave ye anything."

"Too little too late, pal. I would've gotten much more pleasure from free reign of your hotel room in Glynneath," he said as he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "But I should probably get some rest before leaving tonight."

Rose, walking between the two men, reached for Jack with her free hand. He took her hand in his and began to swing it playfully as he smiled at her. 

"Rose Marion Tyler, I'm gonna miss your beautiful face," he said. 

"'M gonna miss you too," she laughed. "Now don't start or you'll make me cry."

"Aye, don't make my lovely lass cry," Peter repeated as the three of them reached the block of flats. 

"Sorry, we'll save the goodbyes for later. Now where am I going?" Jack asked, holding up the key Peter had given him.   
   
"Yer going to 4C and we'll be in 6A if ye need anything," Peter answered. "But try not to need anything, eh?"

Peter followed Rose into her flat and closed the door behind him. She dropped her keys on the little table beside the door, toed off her shoes, and headed straight for the bedroom. 

"Why's yer flat so much bigger than mine?" he asked as he kicked his shoes off as well and trailed behind her.

"'M an heiress, remember?" she giggled. "'M also your boss. So, of course my flat's bigger."

"Ohhhh, I see. That makes perfect sense, then," he laughed. 

He entered her room to find that she had already shucked most of her clothes. She was sitting on the edge of her bed wearing only a tee shirt and knickers. 

"'M setting the alarm to wake us at half four. 'S that okay?" 

"Sure," he replied as he pulled off his jumper and unbuckled the belt to his trousers. "That's more than enough time to ready myself for dinner. Ye can set it for later if ye want."

"Well... I sort of thought maybe after we've had some rest," her cheeks began to blush, "maybe we'll want some extra time to..."

She looked up to see Peter standing before her in nothing but his pants, grinning from ear to ear. 

"Aye, finish what yer saying," he smiled. "Extra time for what exactly, Miss Tyler? Are ye asking me if I fancy a tussle in the sheets a bit later?"

"Oh, shut up and get your arse in my bed," she said, rolling her eyes. "You bloody well know what 'm talkin' about, wanker."

"Wanker?" Peter slid under the duvet and spooned up behind Rose, wrapping both arms around her. "I certainly hope not."

"Mhmm," Rose hummed as he pulled her back against his chest. She turned her head toward his left hand that was gripping her shoulder and kissed the freckle on his palm. "We'll see... right now 'm completely knackered. 'S been a long day."

"Get some sleep, Rose." He placed a kiss behind her ear. "I love you."

"Love you too, Peter," Rose said and closed her eyes. 

Peter closed his eyes as well but didn't sleep. His body was fatigued yet his mind refused to shut down. He tried to stop worrying about Rose and how she would handle Jack leaving - tried and failed. He couldn't pretend to understand what she was feeling - which unnerved him even more - but he wanted to be of some comfort to her anyway. Unfortunately, Rose didn't seem to want to talk about it in the least. She had obviously been upset all afternoon, but when Peter had asked what was the matter she had said it was nothing and gave him a sad smile. He had been seeing too much of that particular smile over the past couple of days and it was breaking his heart. 

He glanced past Rose's sleeping form at the clock on the bedside table. Half three - he had been brooding for over an hour.  He closed his eyes and begged for sleep once more - this time it worked. 

Peter's subconscious tormented him with images of Rose kissing him goodbye and leaving with Jack. Her words filling his brain: _Peter, I'm sorry. Peter, please understand. You'll be fine without me, Peter. I just can't stay, Peter. Peter... Peter? Peter, can you hear me? Peter?_

"Peter!" Rose shook hard on his shoulder. "Peter, are you okay? Wake up!"

He bolted upright in the bed and scanned the room, taking in his surroundings. _Rose's flat_ , he thought to himself and suddenly felt her hand on his shoulder as he slowly returned to reality. 

"You were yellin' and... are you- you're crying!" Rose raised herself up on her knees in the bed and threw her ams around his neck. "My god, Peter, are you all right? You scared me."

"I'm sorry." He returned her embrace and buried his face in her neck. "I'm sorry I woke ye."

"'S okay," she said, running her hands through his hair. "What was it? What happened?"

"Et's nothing, love." He looked at the clock. "Go back to sleep. Yer alarm will sound in half an hour. I'll just-"

"Peter." Rose grabbed his arm as he made an attempt to shift out of bed. "Aren't you gonna tell me what just happened?"

He froze. Peter knew he should just let it go but the words were coming out of his mouth before he even realized it. 

"Are _you_ going to tell _me_ what's been bothering ye all bloody day?" He looked at her, jaw set and dimples piercing his cheeks. 

"What are you talkin-"

"Oh come on, Rose! Don't give me that shite. We both know ye've been moping around for the last two days and ye dismiss me like a child every time I ask ye about it." He raked a hand through his hair, tears of frustration pooling in his eyes. "Rose, I love ye so much that I ache in my fucking bones for ye, but I won't be yer consolation prize. Ye don't need to feel _stuck_ here because of me. If yer having second thoughts, then ye should... I don't want ye to, but if ye want-"

"Why are you doin' this?" Rose asked as she held his face between her hands, looking him in the eye. "You're tryin' to push me away, but _damn it_ I won't let you. 'M not havin' second thoughts. And there won't be third thoughts or fourth thoughts... I belong here with you. That's it. End of story."

"I was dreaming that ye left with Jack," Peter whispered as the tears in his eyes began to spill down his face. 

"'M right here, Peter." She kissed him softly on the lips. "See? 'M right here with you." Peter nodded and she kissed him again. "'M sorry I've been acting strange. And 'm sorry I haven't talked to you about it. You're right - I've been blowin you off - and that's not fair. 'S all just a bit much to take in, yeah? I mean, I spent a very long time tryin' to go back there and all of a sudden I _can_ , but I can't. Even if I wanted to - which, I promise you, I don't - but if I did, I couldn't. My heart belongs to you now, Peter."

Rose kissed him a third time; a deeper, more passionate kiss. 

"You're mine and 'm yours, remember?" she asked. 

"Aye, I remember." Peter tangled his fingers in the back of her hair and pulled her mouth to his once more. "Will ye be mine right now, Rose?" he asked as he nipped on her earlobe and moved his hands away from her hair to slide them beneath her tee shirt, cupping both breasts. 

Rose pulled away long enough to remove her tee shirt and knickers. 

"I'll always be yours. Anytime. Anywhere," she replied, falling back on to the pillows. 

"Oh, my dear Rose," he tossed his pants across the room, "those words will come back to haunt ye," he growled.

Rose grinned at him, tongue poking through her teeth, as Peter opened her legs and crawled his way up the bed to situate himself between them. He teased her with his fingers before slipping one inside. 

"Oh, Rose." He placed a kiss on the inside of each of her thighs. "Yer always so," he inhaled the scent of her arousal and sighed, "so perfect."

Peter slid a second finger inside of her as he covered her clit with his mouth. He licked and nipped at the bundle of nerves before sucking hard, curling his fingers to find her sweet spot; the one that always made her come undone. He continued his ministrations as Rose began screaming his name and bucking her hips against his face. Soon he felt her inner walls tighten around his fingers as her juices flooded into his hand, dripping down his wrist. 

"Kiss me," Rose panted.

So he did. He kissed her hard - tongues sliding against each other and teeth clashing. With one hand holding her hip steady, and the other guiding his erection, he crashed into her with a groan, pushing his cock inside her heat to the root with one thrust. 

"I love you, Rose. I dinna want to lose ye," he whispered, brushing her hair away from her face. He pulled his hips back slowly and shoved forward again with a forceful grunt. "I'm sorry I can be so-"

"Shhh," Rose interrupted. "Don't apologize while you're making love to me Peter." She tilted her hips upward, creating the perfect angle for him to slide deeper inside. "It's already forgotten, yeah?"

Peter kissed the tip of her nose and rested his forehead against hers; the calm before the storm. 

"Aye, forgotten," he said, resuming with a slow but deeply penetrating rhythm, his cock rubbing against her clit with ever stroke, until their orgasms exploded simultaneously. 

They held each other, catching their breath between chaste kisses, when the buzzing of Rose's alarm began to ring loudly in their ears. 

"Well," Rose giggled as Peter nuzzled his stubble covered chin against her neck, "s'pose that means we've got time for one more tussle."

oOo

"I guess this is it, then." Jack smiled at Rose. "You, Miss Tyler, are giving me a proper goodbye kiss. I don't care what this guy has to say about it," he said, jerking his head toward Peter. 

"Aye, I wouldnae dream of getting in yer way," Peter laughed. 

Jack grabbed Rose by the hand, pulled her to him, and deftly dipped her backwards while planting a proper Hollywood style kiss on her lips. He held her there for a few seconds until Peter casually cleared his throat in mild protest. 

"Don't worry, gorgeous," Jack said to Peter as he released Rose and grinned. "You're next."

Jack grabbed him by the face and pressed his mouth against Peter's, ending the kiss with an exaggerated _MUAH!_. 

"You take care of my beautiful Rose," Jack said and playfully smacked Peter's cheek. 

"Aye, I intend to," Peter replied, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. 

"And you," Jack turned to Mickey, "you better-"

"Oi!" Mickey held his hands up in defense. "Keep that mouth away from mine, Captain Cheesecake."

Jack laughed and pulled Mickey in for a hug, slapping him hard on the back a few times.   
   
"It's been a blast, kids, but I've gotta get back home." Jack backed away a few steps and began to enter the proper coordinates in the vortex manipulator on his wrist. 

Rose threw herself at him, crying into his chest as she squeezed him into a bone crushing hug. 

"'M gonna miss you _so much_ ," she said as tears streaked her face. 

Peter watched helplessly as Rose sobbed against Jack. He wanted to be her comforter - his arms wrapped tightly around her - but he knew there was nothing he could do to make things all right. He struggled to maintain his composure as he heard her beg Jack to stay _just one more day_ and shoved his hands into his pockets in an effort to refrain from reaching out to her. It broke his heart to see Rose in so much pain and he dropped his head and looked at the ground. 

As he examined the pavement below his feet, Peter heard Jack say through his tears, "It's not too late. You can change your mind right here and now, Rose. Hold tight to my wrist and I'll take you with me!"

Peter's head began to spin. He felt his body sway as his legs threatened to buckle beneath him. He wanted to scream at Jack, to grab Rose from Jack's embrace and say _She's mine!_ or _Sod off, ye fucking wanker!_ \- anything. But his feet were nailed in place and finding words would be impossible as he struggled so hard just to pull breath into his lungs. 

"You all right, mate?" Mickey put a hand on Peter's shoulder to help steady him but Peter made no acknowledgement. 

He stood frozen, for the three longest heartbeats of his life, before Rose spoke. 

"No, Jack." She smeared the tears across her cheeks with the sleeve of her shirt. "'M in love with 'im... I can't leave 'im."

Rose tiptoed to place a kiss on the corner of Jack's mouth and said her final goodbye. She turned around to see Peter staring at her with unshed tears in his dark eyes and his jaw clenched tight. 

"Ro-" Peter swallowed the lump in his throat that was threatening to choke him. "Rose," he almost whispered. 

Rose grabbed his hand and entwined their fingers without a word. Peter squeezed her hand so tightly that he was sure it was causing discomfort. He couldn't help it. He couldn't let go. 

Jack flashed his trademark grin one last time before he was swallowed up by the sudden blaze of blue light. 

Mickey put an arm around Rose's shoulders. "Everything's gonna be all right, Rose."

"Yeah. I know, Micks." She made her best effort to smile as Mickey dropped his arm and began the short walk to his flat. 

"Rose." Peter loosened the vice grip he had on her hand but didn't let go. "I'm sorry he couldnae stay."

"I know. Me too." She leaned into his side. "'S gonna be fine. I just..."

"I know, love." Peter finally released her hand to hold her close to him and kissed the top of her head. "I thought... for a second that ye-"

"'M never gonna leave you, Peter. I've told you that."

"Aye, ye did. I just..." His words trailed off as he breathed a few shaky breaths and tightened his hold on her. "Rose, I lo-"

"I know," she said against his chest, feeling his heart rapidly beat against her cheek. "Sometimes it doesn't even need saying."


	20. Chapter 20

"Oi, where you sneakin' off to?" Rose wrapped both arms around Peter's slim waist and tugged him back as he walked past her toward the stairs. 

"The lad wants tae show me something in his room," he said, hugging her close and ducking his head to kiss the tip of her nose. "Did ye need something?"

"So you're gonna creep upstairs when it's finally time to tidy up in here, yeah? Bit dodgy if you ask me," she said accusingly, a smile tugging at her lips. 

"Aye, well, ye know nothing would please me more than clearing away bits and bobs from the party for the next hour," he joked. "I'll certainly take a bit of that cake off yer hands if ye ask me nicely."

"More cake? You'll be sick for a bloody week! I don't know where you'd even put it."

"Honestly, do ye need my help down here, love? I'd hate to tell the wee man no, et's his birthday after all, but if ye insist..."

"Go on then." She slapped him on the shoulder and rolled her eyes. "Don't keep the birthday boy waitin'"

Peter kissed her briefly and continued on his way to the staircase. Rose watched him walk away as he disappeared at the top of the stairs en route to her little brother's room. 

A little more than two months had passed since they stood outside the Torchwood hub in Cardiff and watched Captain Jack Harkness make the leap across universes, returning to the place Rose once called home. Since that night, Rose and Peter had become inseparable. They were officially _Peter and Rose_ now; sharing a bed, a grocery bill, a flat, and - most importantly - sharing their lives with each other. 

They had never actually had the "let's moving in together" conversation - it just happened. Both Peter and Rose had made it quite clear to one another that the very thought of electing to spend a single night apart was clearly ridiculous. So they didn't. There was no discussion or debate about where to live either. Some clothes here, a few dishes there, and when the last of Peter's belongings made the migration from his flat to hers, Rose simply told her parents that Torchwood could cease paying utilities for the smaller flat. It was all very domestic... and no two people had ever been happier. 

They had promised to spend the weekend at her parents' home in London for Tony's birthday. The pair had arrived Friday evening in time for dinner and had spent all of Saturday at the park with Tony. Peter doted on the boy and listened intently as he rambled on about his favourite Spider-Man toy, taking the opportunity to tell Tony about his love for super heroes when he was a wee lad himself. 

Rose had always loved spending time with her little brother - pushing him on the swings, spinning on the roundabout, taking a break from playing to enjoy a 99 - and it pleased her to find that Peter seemed to truly enjoy it as well. 

The family had gone out for pizza (Tony's request) Saturday night and Sunday tea time had been finger foods and birthday cake with a few friends. They had enjoyed a lovely weekend, Rose thought, and Peter fit in with her family like a puzzle piece that had been sorely missed. 

Rose helped her mum tidy the kitchen and talked with her over a cuppa before making her way upstairs to Tony's room. She found them both sitting cross legged on the floor, surrounded by Lego creations. Among them were the Harry Potter Lego sets Peter and Rose had given the boy for his birthday. 

"Aye, Tony, if ye take this wee piece here and connect it tae this bit here," Peter said as he snapped Legos together to form a rather elaborate looking car made of multicolored pieces. "Look a' that, lad!" 

"It's brilliant," Tony yelped as he took the car and placed it in the center of their Lego town where wizards and super heroes enjoyed a peaceful coexistence. 

"Well done, Peter," Rose grinned as she plopped down on the floor next to them. 

"Aye, I'm good with Legos," he smiled. 

Peter began fitting together pieces at random while Rose helped Tony duplicate the car Peter had made. 

"Wee Tony tells me yer the best at playing Legos," Peter said, not looking up, as he worked with the pieces in his hands. 

"Did he?"

"Aye, he said I'm a very close second."

"Oh, I'm sure you're better than I am," Rose laughed. 

"He says yer the best because ye tell such brilliant stories about traveling through time and space with yer Lego TARDIS." Peter glanced up to see Rose's eyes fixed on him as Tony pushed the two cars, one in each hand, through the Lego town. "Ye know, like the one ye traveled in with the Doctor."

"Yeah, sometimes I do..."

"I just wondered how much of those brilliant stories were fact and how much were fiction."

"I might've edited them a bit for young ears, but I mostly tell him about places I've been."

"Mmphmm." Peter turned his attention back to the Legos in his hand. "I thought so. The lad also says yer mum has a photo of the real TARDIS... with you and the Doctor standing in front of it."

"Umm yeah," Rose swallowed audibly, "think maybe she does have a photograph. Her and Mickey are in it too. I haven't seen it in ages though. She might've lost it or-"

"I dinna reckon she'd lose a thing like that, do you?" Peter asked, snapping his head up to face her once again. "I think et's too important tae lose. I'd wager she knows exactly where et is."

"She might..." Rose's words trailed off as a feeling of unease rushed over her. "I'm sorry, Peter."

"Why?" He pursed his lips and held her gaze. "What do ye have to be sorry about?"

"Nothin' really. I mean, I don't know, I just-"

Peter dropped the Legos onto the floor and reached for her hand, pulling her into his lap. 

"Do ye think I'm angry with ye?" Rose nodded in reply. "No, love," he smiled a sad smile that didn't reach his eyes, "I just wish ye'd tell me more about that part of yer life. Ye never mention anything about yer life back then. Ye saw all of these brilliant things and traveled to amazing places... ye can tell me some time, if ye want."

"I just thought you wouldn't wanna hear about the Do-"

"I want to hear about _you_ , Rose. Everything, aye?" He kissed her softly on the lips and hugged her. "Ye dinna have tae tell me today or tomorrow or next week," he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, "but some time. When yer ready."

"I will, I promise." She rested her head on his shoulder as he held her close. "Thank you," she whispered. 

They sat together for a few long moments as Tony, having forgotten they were still in the room, continued to play with his new toys. 

"Rose," Peter began, clearing his throat nervously. "I would quite like tae see the photograph."

"Really?"

"Aye. Before we leave tonight. Please?"

oOo

Rose found Peter sitting alone in the back garden as the sun was beginning to sink in the sky. He had spent the evening with Pete, watching a football match on the telly, while Rose helped ready Tony for bed. 

"Spendin' some time in quiet contemplation?" she asked with a quiet laugh. 

"Is the wee man asleep?" Peter reached up to hold her hand as she stood next to the chair he was seated in. 

"Yeah, we should say our goodbyes soon and dash. I've had a lovely time, but 'm knackered."

"Aye." He dropped her hand. "Let's go then," he said and abruptly stood, making his way toward the door, when Rose stopped him with a hand on his chest. He looked at her, eyes piercing and obviously upset. "What?"

"I said _soon_ , yeah? I came out here to show you this." She pulled the photograph from her back pocket, creased from having been folded, and held it out to him. "Mum found it for me while I put Tony to bed."

Peter stared at the photo in her hand for a few beats before taking it. 

"You thought I forgot, didn't ya?" she asked. 

"No. I thought ye didnae want me tae see et," he said as he studied the photograph in his hand. 

"It's all we have from over there. Just that photograph and the clothes we were wearin'. That's it." Peter nodded but continued to stare at the picture as she spoke. "Sometimes I would go months without seein' mum. She used to carry that around in her pocket. Said it was her way of keepin' me with her always. It was in her pocket the day he sent us here."

"Et's snowing," he said, never taking his eyes off of the faces in the picture. "When was it taken?"

"It was Christmas. Right after he regenerated - you know, changed his face and everything. Mum's friend Bev took that picture of the four of us."

"Ye look beautiful." He finally looked up at her, eyes glistening. 

"I don't," she scoffed. "I was bloody freezin', my nose is red, my eyes are half closed..."

"But ye look happy." He attempted a smile and looked away, but not before she saw his eyes filling with tears. "Yer always beautiful when yer happy," he said, in a low voice. 

"It was Christmas, Peter. We were all happy." She smoothed his hair away from his face. "Peter, look at me. That was a different life and a different sort of happy, yeah?"

"Sure," he sniffed. "Quite."

"You make me _very_ happy," she smiled. "You know that, right? The life I have with you, I could never have with 'im. We were mates - best mates - but that's all we ever woulda been."

"Et's fine, ye dinna have to-"

"Yeah, Peter, I do. I want you to know," she said stubbornly. "I would have stayed with the Doctor anyway. I thought I could be happy with the way things were, and maybe I woulda been, but not like this. Not as happy as I am with you." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're so different from any man I've ever known, Peter. No one has ever loved me the way you do. I deserve to be with a man who loves me freely and openly, you've shown me that."

"Ye deserve more than I can give ye, Rose." He placed a sweet chaste kiss on her lips. "But, damn et all, I will give ye everything I have."

"That's all I want," she replied, smiling. 

"This bloke looks nothing like me, ye know," he said, looking at the photo again and attempting to lighten the mood. "He's a bit posh in his suit, aye? And the hair. He must have spent a fortune on styling product."

"I've tried to tell you," she laughed. "Only at first. You look like 'im a bit at first but then, not so much. I see more differences than similarities, really. Jack says he's regenerated again anyway. Doesn't even look like that anymore."

"Thank ye, Rose." He handed the photograph back to her. "Thanks for showing me. I needed to see it. I dinna know why but-"

"It's okay." She pressed her finger against his lips to quiet him. "You don't have to explain. I get it," she said, replacing her finger with her lips and kissing him soundly. 

"I love ye, Rose Tyler." Peter held her body close to him and rested his chin on the crown of her head. "I love ye very, very much."

"I love you too, Peter." She squeezed him tightly as they stood in the back garden and watched the sun fade from the sky, hiding it's light from the night's moon that was just beginning to shine. 

"Let's go home, aye?"

oOo

The drive from London back to Cardiff took longer than expected, thanks to traffic on the M4. Rose and Peter nearly collapsed from exhaustion after they had both cleaned their teeth and changed for bed. 

Peter slid under the duvet behind Rose as she lay on her side, facing the wall. He shivered at the feel of the cool sheets against his warm skin and scooted in close to her in an effort to borrow some heat. 

"Nuh-night, babe." He placed a kiss on the bare skin of her shoulder, not covered by her vest top. "I love you," he said and wrapped an arm around her waist. 

"Love you too," she murmured. "Night."

He kissed her shoulder once more and retreated to his pillow, moving his hand to pat the curve of her hip before rolling into his back. His hand froze and his brow furrowed in confusion when he discovered Rose was wearing nothing but a pair of tiny knickers with her vest. 

"Ro-ose," he singsonged, sidling back up behind her as his hand began to travel a path from her hip to just above her knee, and back again. "Yer no' wearing yer shorts."

"'M just knackered. Didn't feel like it," she mumbled, drifting toward sleep already. 

"Too tired, eh?" His hand dropped around to the front of her waist and slipped under the hem of her vest, rubbing aimless patterns on her skin. "Aye, I'm tired as well, but..."

His voice trailed off as he pressed his front to her back, revealing the hard proof of his arousal, and began to kiss the back of her neck. 

"Peter, what're you-"

"Mmmm... come on, love," he said as he nuzzled her behind the ear. "Are ye up for et?"

"I could maybe be persuaded," she said coyly. 

"Oh, I can be _very_ persuasive, Miss Tyler," he grinned and hooked his thumb in the side of her knickers, tugging as his tongue found to her earlobe. "Very persuasive, indeed."

They made love without haste, forgetting the grip of slumber that had been drawing them in. They took time to enjoy every thrust of hips and every lave of tongue. Interrupting the rhythm of their bodies joining together to whisper words of affection or gaze adoringly at each other. 

Finally sated, Rose lay in Peter's arms, their legs tangled in the bed sheets. She felt rather than heard his heart beating beneath her ear, head resting on his chest. They remained there in comfortable silence for several minutes, Peter absently drawing circles on her back with his fingers. 

Rose eventually lifted her head and ran her nails through the coarse hairs on his chest, smiling up at him. 

"What's knocking about in that pretty wee head of yers?" he asked, opening one eye and noticing the quizzical expression on her face. 

"Did you ever think we'd end up like this?" Rose turned on her side to face him. "I mean, when we first met and I behaved so badly."

"I knew from the first moment I saw ye," he kissed the tip of her nose, a habit Rose had grown to love, "that I would fall desperately in love with ye."

"Liar," she giggled. "I was terrible to you when we first met. 'M sure you hated me."

"Never that," he replied feigning shock. "How could ye say that? I couldnae hate a face like yers."

"Seriously," she slapped him playfully on the arm, "what was your first impression of me? Be honest. I can handle it," she smiled. 

"I'm no' kidding, Rose, I fancied ye from the start."

"You didn-"

"I thought _she's incredibly beautiful_ ," he interrupted, " _and I've made a terrible mistake taking this job_."

"I knew it! I nearly scared you off, didn't I?"

"Let. Me. Finish. Aye?" He said between kisses, as he cuddled closer to her. 

"Sorry," she said. "No more interruptions."

"Ye didn't scare me off, that's not what I meant. When I saw ye for the first time - aye, ye were a bit rude to me - but," he laughed when the side comment earned him another slap on the arm, "I didnae care. I wasnae listening. I just kept thinking I'd never be able to work with ye, never be in the same room without staring at ye, never be satisfied with being _just friends_ with ye. I knew immediately that et was the end of my life as I'd always known et." 

He traced the shape of her mouth with his finger before pressing his lips to hers. 

"I was right, ye know," he whispered as he rested his forehead against hers. "Ye've changed my life. Et's as if I died and was born again the moment I kissed ye that night in the pub. Ye've changed me, Rose. I'm more patient, more forgiving. I want tae be a better person because of ye."

Rose studied his face, committing every detail to memory. From the day she had given her heart to Peter, there had been so many moments like this one. Moments that made her heart swell to the point of bursting with love for him; ones she never wanted to forget. 

"I love you," she said, combing the fringe away from his eyes with her fingers. 

Peter took her hand and kissed it. "Now yer turn. What was yer first impression of me?"

"Well..."

"Dinna try to lie, we both know ye didnae have that _love at first sight_ shocker like I did. Et's fine," he grinned. "Just tell me what sort of dreadful thoughts ye had about me."

"Well, first thing was the accent," she said, ducking her head. 

"Urr ye sayin' ye didnae appreciate mah brogue, lassie?" Peter joked, exaggerating his accent. 

"'S shameful to admit because that's somethin' I adore about you now."

"Och, aye?" Peter waggled his eyebrows suggestively. 

"Yeah, I love the way you roll your R's when you say my name."

"Rrrrose Tylerrrr," he said, letting her name roll off of his tongue. 

"Mmmm yeah, 's exactly what I mean."

"Besides yer absurd opinion of my accent, what else?" he asked. 

"Umm... I remember thinkin' you needed to shave," she giggled as she raked her nails over the stubble of his chin. "Another example of how daft I was because I quite like your scruffy face. Might even prefer it that way."

"Do ye now?" He nuzzled her neck with his prickly chin, causing her to laugh and try to wiggle free from his embrace. 

"Yeah, I do," Rose giggled. "I 'specially like the way that scruff feels rubbing against my thighs."

"Rrrrose Tylerrrr." Peter nipped at her earlobe and smoothed his hands over the curve of her backside. "One might think ye fancy another go wi' me," he growled. 

"Keep sayin' my name like that and you'll well know what I fancy." She let out a surprised squeal when Peter slapped her bare bum. 

"I know _exactly_ what ye fancy, love."

"I fancy you," she said and captured his mouth in a deep, hungry kiss. 

Peter nudged Rose to lie on her back, his body covering hers, as he began mapping every inch of her neck, shoulders, and chest with his lips and tongue. 

"Rose, I love ye so much." He tilted his head up to face her. "I cannae imagine a day without ye for the rest of my life. And I dinna want to."

"You don't have to, Peter." She kissed him once more as he aligned his hips with hers, teasing her entrance with the tip of his erection. "What we have is forever, yeah?"

He slid inside of her slowly, inching deeper and deeper, until his love filled her completely. Her legs opened further, as if welcoming him home, eliciting a moan of satisfaction from deep within him. 

"Aye," he said, speaking between thrusts as his hips began to rock against hers. "I'm yers, Rose... And yer mine... Forever."


End file.
